Psalms 120:3 · Bible study
Psalms 120:3 Commentary: The Deceitful Tongue Under God's Judgment
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 120:3 warns of God's judgment on deceitful speech.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A rhetorical warning that God will punish the deceitful tongue with divine retribution.
- Key words: יִּתֵּן (yiTten, “will give”), יֹּסִיף (yoSif, “will add”), לָשׁוֹן רְמִיָּה (laShon remiyah, “deceitful tongue”).
- Main debate: Whether the implied subject is God (divine judgment) or the tongue itself (futility of deceit).
- Theological theme: God’s justice against slander and false speech; the certainty of recompense.
- Best use: A pastoral teaching on the seriousness of lying and slander, and the comfort of knowing God defends the innocent.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue?
WEB World English Bible 2000
What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue?
KJV King James Version 1769
What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, Thou deceitful tongue?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
What doth He give to thee? And what doth He add to thee? O deceitful tongue!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
What shall be given unto thee, what shall be added unto thee, thou deceitful tongue?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
May he not suffer thy foot to be moved: neither let him slumber that keepeth thee.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¿ Qué te dará, ó qué te aprovechará, oh lengua engañosa?
O que ele te dará, e o que ele fará contigo, ó língua enganadora?
Que te donne, que te rapporte
Was kann mir die falsche Zunge tun, was kann sie ausrichten?
Wat zal U de bedriegelijke tong geven, of wat zal zij U toevoegen?
Che ti sarà dato e che ti sarà aggiunto, o lingua fraudolenta?
Cóż ci da, albo coć za pożytek przyniesie język zdradliwy?
Не даст Он поколебаться ноге твоей, не воздремлет хранящий тебя;
詭詐 的舌頭啊，要給 你 甚麼呢？要拿甚麼 加 給你呢？
What punishment will he give you? what more will he do to you, you false tongue?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 120:3
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Psalm 120:3 is a rhetorical question addressed to the “deceitful tongue,” with God as the implied subject. The phrasing mirrors the ancient oath formula “So may God do to you and more also” (1 Samuel 3:17, 20:13), a point made by the Cambridge Bible and Keil and Delitzsch. Barnes, Calvin, and Gill all read the answer in verse 4: “Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper”, images of divine retribution. Some interpreters (including Barnes in his marginal notes and Luther) consider the tongue itself as the subject, asking what profit deceit brings. But the dominant view, grounded in the oath formula, is that God will punish the slanderer. The consensus is that this verse, part of a Song of Ascents, expresses the psalmist’s confidence that God will act against lying lips.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Divine Judgment (God as subject): The verb forms match the oath in 1 Samuel 3:17; verse 4 describes God's weapons (arrows, coals); the psalmist cries to God for deliverance, implying God will punish.
- Futility of Deceit (Tongue as subject): The rhetorical question can be read as 'what does the deceitful tongue give you?' — i.e., nothing but trouble. Supported by some early Jewish interpretation and a few modern translations.
What is clear: The verse is a rhetorical question warning against deceitful speech, with the answer in verse 4 indicating severe consequences, whether from God’s direct action or the inherent self-destruction of sin.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Subject of the verbs “give” and “add” | Most commentators read God as the subject, based on the parallel with oath formulas (1 Samuel 3:17; 20:13). | Some interpreters (including Luther and Barnes in his marginal note) understand the tongue itself as the subject, asking what profit deceit brings, a futility rather than direct divine punishment. |
| Nature of the punishment (arrows and coals) | The images symbolize severe judgment: arrows pierce, coals burn. All affirm that slander brings consequences. | Catholics and Protestants differ on whether this refers solely to temporal judgment, eternal punishment, or a mix. Both agree the language is poetic, not literal. |
| Historical referent of the deceitful tongue | The psalmist faces enemies who use lies and slander, causing distress. | Some identify a specific enemy (e.g., Doeg in 1 Samuel 22, or Samaritans in the post-exilic period), while others see a general appeal against all false accusers. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 120 opens the “Songs of Ascents” (Psalms 120, 134), a collection likely sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for the festivals. The title may also refer to a stair-step poetic structure, as noted by Lange. The psalmist’s distress is set among hostile peoples: “Meshech” and “Kedar” (vv. 5, 7), distant, warlike tribes that symbolize a world of violence and deceit. The “deceitful tongue” refers to slander, false witness, and broken promises, common threats in a community struggling to maintain its identity under foreign influence (Ellicott suggests Samaritans as a plausible referent).
The rhetorical question in verse 3 echoes a well-known oath formula from Israel’s legal and covenantal life: “So may the Lord do to you and so may he add” (1 Samuel 3:17). In such oaths, God is always the agent of the action. The verbs yiTten (“will give”) and yoSif (“will add”) are imperfects that can indicate future action or a wish. The combination of the two verbs (“give” and “add”) intensifies the warning. The tongue is addressed directly, a poetic device that heightens the drama. The answer in verse 4 uses martial and penal symbols (arrows, burning coals) to describe God’s response, a just recompense for the “arrows” of slander (compare Jeremiah 9:3, 8; Proverbs 26:18, 19).
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 120:3. The Masoretic Text is consistent. Some translations (BSB, YLT) render the verbs as “will He do” and “will He add,” making God explicit, while others keep a more ambiguous “will be given” (WEB, KJV). The Hebrew allows either interpretation, but the pointing supports the oath‐formula reading with God as subject.
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters, such as Chrysostom and Augustine, read this verse as a warning against slander and false witness, tying it to the tongue’s power to destroy community. In the Reformation, Calvin saw here a comfort for the godly: the lies of enemies will ultimately fail because God defends the innocent. Matthew Henry applied the psalm to David’s experience with false accusers, emphasizing God’s justice. The verse has been used in Christian ethical teaching on speech, often cited alongside James 3 on the dangers of the tongue. Across traditions, it has served as a call to truthfulness and a promise of vindication for those who suffer from lies.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Question of Consequence, The psalmist asks what the deceitful tongue will receive, implying that God will repay slander with judgment (v. 3).
- The Answer of Justice, God’s response comes as “sharp arrows” and “coals of juniper” (v. 4), symbols of penetrating and unquenchable punishment.
- The Comfort for the Innocent, The psalmist appeals to God for deliverance (v. 2), showing that the righteous can trust God to act against false accusers.
Five-point outline
- Distress, The psalmist cries out from a situation of oppression by lying lips (vv. 1, 2).
- Address, The deceitful tongue is directly challenged with a rhetorical question (v. 3).
- Warning, God will give and add punishment: arrows and coals (v. 4).
- Alienation, The psalmist feels exiled among hostile peoples (vv. 5, 6).
- Contrast, The psalmist’s love of peace clashes with the warmongering of the deceitful (v. 7).
Illustration hooks
- A student spreads a rumor about a classmate; later, the rumor backfires and the student loses trust. The natural consequence mirrors the “arrows” that return.
- A workplace where gossip circulates freely, eventually the gossip destroys relationships and careers, illustrating how deceit “adds” only trouble.
- The experience of being misrepresented online: a false accusation spreads quickly, and the hurt feels like being pierced by arrows. The psalmist’s cry resonates with anyone who has been slandered.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God really punish lying? What does that look like in everyday life?
- How do I deal with the pain of being slandered when there seems to be no earthly remedy?
- What is the difference between a moment of deception and a lifestyle of deceit? Does this verse apply to both?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 120:3 confronts us with the serious nature of deceitful speech. The question is not merely about punishment but about the final outcome of a life built on lies. As you study this verse together, consider how the psalmist’s confidence in God’s justice can shape our own response to slander and falsehood.
Discussion questions
- What situation prompts the psalmist to cry out about a “deceitful tongue”? (Read vv. 1, 2 together.)
- Who do you think is the implied “giver” in the question of verse 3, God, the tongue itself, or someone else? What evidence from the text or surrounding verses supports your view?
- How does the answer in verse 4 (sharp arrows and coals of juniper) describe the consequences of deceit? What images come to mind?
- In what ways does deceitful speech harm not only others but also the person who speaks it? Can you think of a real-life example?
- The psalmist mentions living among “Meshech” and “Kedar” (v. 5). How does feeling like an outsider affect the experience of being slandered? Have you ever felt similarly?
- How does this psalm encourage you to trust God when you are falsely accused? What difference does it make to know that God sees and will act?
- How can we, as a community, speak truth in love while avoiding the deceitful patterns this psalm condemns?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Job 27:8 | For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life? |
| Matthew 16:26 | For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life? |
| Romans 6:21 | What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke reads the question as a solemn declaration of guilt. The query is not asking what reward the person deserves; it pronounces that they are worthy of the most severe punishment.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes treats the question about the deceitful tongue as asking what will come of such speech. He notes the many possible meanings, but his focus is on the outcome: whether from lack of profit, damage to reputation, or God's judgment, the false tongue brings a certain consequence.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator sees the punishment as a perfect match for the crime: the slanderer shot arrows of falsehood, so God answers with arrows of judgment. The glowing broom-wood coals, which burn hottest and longest, picture the consuming divine wrath that awaits the one who kindled strife by deceit.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The commentator points out that deceitful speech brings no real benefit or lasting gain. The rhetorical question exposes the emptiness of lying: it may seem useful in the moment, but ultimately it yields nothing of true value.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill treats the question as a rhetorical challenge to the deceitful tongue, showing it brings no lasting gain and only harms others. He suggests the real answer points to God: the Lord will give it the punishment it deserves for every lie it speaks.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads this psalm as a symbolic portrayal of the believer's experience among hostile people, not tied to a specific historical event. He views the names Mesech and Kedar as figurative designations for rude, warlike companions rather than literal distant tribes. The psalmist's plea for peace highlights the painful contrast between his own longing for peace and the unrelenting hostility around him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry distinguishes two ways lying lips distressed David: flattering promises designed to trap him, and false accusations meant to destroy his reputation. He notes that the most dangerous enemies are those who smile in friendship while plotting harm, and that David's experience here prefigured Christ.