They mock and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
Parallel translations
- WEB They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
- KJV They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
- ESV They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
- NKJV They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; They speak loftily.
- NASB They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high.
- NLT They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They scoff and speak with malice, arrogantly threatening to oppress others.
Overview
The wicked use their words to mock, to wound, and to menace the weak. Their speech reveals hearts hardened by pride. This portrait of arrogant, oppressive talk stands in sharp contrast to the humble and the pure in heart whom God blesses, and underscores why God's judgment is just.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Jude 1:16These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
- Ps 17:10They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance.
- Ps 10:2In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise.
- Ps 10:10–11They are crushed and beaten down; the hapless fall prey to his strength.
- Ps 12:4–5They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”
- Ps 53:1–4For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their ways are vile. There is no one who does good.
- 2 Pet 2:18With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.
- Prov 30:13–14There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
- Jer 7:9–11Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known,
- 2 Pet 2:10Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
- 1 Kgs 21:7–29But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
- 1 Sam 13:19And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears.”
- Exod 1:9–10“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.
- Hos 7:16They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 73:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.