Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Psalms 140:3
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent, etc.] Which Kimchi says it does before it bites. Aristotlef1877 observes, that the tip or extreme point of a serpent’s tongue is as small as a hair, and so exceeding sharp and piercing. Arama interprets this of the sharpness and cunning of the serpent; and particularly the serpent that deceived Eve, and spake cunningly to her. “For God knoweth”, etc. and may design the calumnies and detractions, which were sharp as a razor; as swords, and spears, and arrows, and as the tongue of a serpent, (<195704>Psalm 57:4 64:3); and the subtlety of false teachers, and deceitful workers; and the sharp and cutting words of wicked men against Christ and his people, (<650115>Jude 1:15); adder’s poison is under their lips; which may signify the malignity of sin in wicked men, which comes from the old serpent the devil; is latent in men; very infectious, like poison, and deadly and incurable, but by the grace of God, and blood of Christ: and may describe particularly the mischief of the tongue, which is a little member, as the asp is a little creature; but very mischievous, full of deadly poison, which lurks in it, lies under it, and which spitting out, it stupifies and kills insensibly; as do the calumnies of wicked men, and the doctrines of false teachers; (see <450313>Romans 3:13). The Targum is, “the poison of the spider;” though it is saidf1878 the spider is not venomous. Selah; on this word, (see Gill on “<190302>Psalm 3:2”).
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