They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent The lying tongue is elsewhere compared to the sword or arrow which wounds (Psalms 52:2; Psalms 55:21; Psalms 57:4; Psalms 59:7; Psalms 64:3), or the serpent which inflicts a poisonous bite (Psalms 58:3-4); and here the Psalmist combines the metaphors. They deliberately prepare to inflict a deadly wound by slander.

adder's poisonis under their lips Hidden like the poison gland of the asp. The words are quoted in Romans 3:13, from the LXX.

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