Psalms 35:20 · Bible study
Psalms 35:20 Commentary: Deceitful Words Against the Peaceful
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 35:20 exposes the enemies’ refusal to speak peace and their crafting of lies against the quiet. A study of slander, innocence, and God’s vindication.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The enemies of the psalmist are characterized by their refusal to speak peace and their active planning of deceitful accusations against peaceful people.
- Key words: Shalom (peace, completeness); mirma (deceit, treachery); raga‘ (quiet, still); chasav (to devise, plan).
- Main debate: Whether the ‘quiet in the land’ refers specifically to David (as Barnes argues) or more broadly to all the righteous who seek peace (as Keil & Delitzsch and others hold). The difference is minor and both are affirmed.
- Theological theme: God defends the innocent who are attacked by lies; He hears the cry of the peacemaker and will vindicate them.
- Best use: A verse of lament and trust, useful for teaching about the nature of wicked speech and for praying for deliverance from slander.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
KJV King James Version 1769
For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For they speak not peace, And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For they speak not peace; and they devise deceitful words against the quiet in the land.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Porque no hablan paz; y contra los mansos de la tierra piensan palabras engañosas.
Porque eles não falam de paz; mas sim, planejam falsidades contra os pacíficos da terra.
Car ils tiennent un langage qui n’ est point celui de la paix,
Denn sie trachten Schaden zu tun und suchen falsche Anklagen gegen die Stillen im Lande
Want zij spreken niet van vrede, maar zij bedenken bedriegelijke zaken tegen de stillen in het land.
Poiché non parlan di pace, anzi macchinan frodi contro la gente pacifica del paese.
Albowiem nie mówią o pokoju; ale przeciwko spokojnym na ziemi zdradliwe słowa zmyślają.
因為 他們不 說 和平話，倒想出 詭詐的 言語害 地 上的安靜人。
For they do not say words of peace; in their deceit they are designing evil things against the quiet ones in the land.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 35:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse exposes the enemies’ core hostility: they refuse to speak peace (שָׁלוֹם, shalom) and instead craft deceitful words against peaceful people. Barnes notes that ‘they do not speak peace’ means they are ‘disposed to quarrel,’ unwilling to live at peace. The ‘deceitful matters’ (literally ‘words of deceit,’ דִּבְרֵי מִרְמוֹת) refer to misrepresentations that stir up strife where none exists. The phrase ‘quiet in the land’ (רִגְעֵי־אֶרֶץ) describes those who are gentle, peaceable, and inclined to avoid conflict, like David, as Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch explain. Calvin ties this to David’s experience under Saul, when nobles and commoners alike conspired against him through calumny. The essence is that the wicked weaponize lies against the innocent, a pattern the psalmist brings before God as evidence of his need for divine vindication.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse clearly contrasts the enemies' refusal to speak peace with their active planning of deceitful words against those who are peaceable.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the 'quiet in the land' | All commentators agree these are peaceable, righteous people who are targets of malicious speech. | Barnes and Calvin focus on David himself as the prototype. Gill and Keil & Delitzsch see a broader reference to all the faithful, including typology of Christ. Both views are represented in the tradition. |
| Nature of the deceitful words | They are deliberately crafted misrepresentations intended to cause harm. | Some, like Barnes, emphasize that the deceit is primarily misrepresentation of facts. Others, like Cambridge, note that the words accuse the quiet of being troublemakers. The nuance is whether the deceit is general slander or specific false accusations of rebellion. |
| The enemies' motive | They are driven by hostility and a desire to destroy the innocent. | Calvin distinguishes between those who are thoughtlessly swept along and those who act from deliberate malice. Most commentators emphasis deliberate malice, but the distinction is present in Calvin. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 35 is traditionally attributed to David during his flight from King Saul. The surrounding psalms (34, 36) form a cluster that contrasts the fear of the Lord with the ways of the wicked. In verse 20, David continues his lament over enemies who not only persecute him but do so with calculated deception.
The phrase ‘quiet in the land’ reflects a social and spiritual ideal in ancient Israel. The Hebrew root רגע (raga‘) suggests stillness and peace; such people are not troublemakers but lovers of shalom. In a culture where honor and reputation were vital, slander was a devastating weapon. The court of Saul likely saw ambitious nobles who sought the king’s favor by spreading lies about David, accusing him of treason or sedition, the very charge that forced him into hiding. Calvin describes how ‘the greatest part of them were thoughtlessly impelled by error and folly,’ yet some acted from deliberate malice.
Psalm 35 is not only a personal cry but also a model for the community of faith. The imagery of ‘devising deceitful words’ echoes the legal context of false testimony, which the Mosaic law condemned severely (Exodus 20:16). By describing his enemies as those who ‘do not speak peace,’ David aligns himself with God’s desire for harmony and presents his case as worthy of divine intervention. This verse thus sets the stage for his appeal for vindication in the following verses (vv. 22, 24), where he calls on Yahweh to see, act, and judge righteously.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries do not mention any textual variants for Psalm 35:20. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and all modern translations reflect the same reading. The verse presents no significant textual difficulty.
Reception History
Psalm 35:20 has been read throughout church history as a description of the wicked’s treatment of the righteous. Early Christian writers, particularly in the context of persecution, saw here the pattern of false accusations against believers. The phrase ‘quiet in the land’ came to represent the meek who inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Medieval and Reformation commentators, such as Augustine, Luther, and Calvin, applied the verse to the suffering of the faithful under unjust authorities. In Jewish tradition, the verse is part of a psalm of supplication, emphasizing that God defends those who cannot defend themselves. The verse has also been cited in discussions of slander and the eighth commandment, reminding believers that words can be as destructive as weapons.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The absence of peace in speech: The enemies refuse to speak shalom, words that build harmony. Their talk is quarrelsome and confrontational.
- The weapon of deceitful words: They actively devise lies (מִרְמוֹת), twisting facts to harm the innocent. Slander is a calculated tool.
- The target: those who are quiet in the land: The victims are peace-loving people who desire no conflict. God sees the contrast and is moved to act.
Five-point outline
- The character of the wicked: they do not promote peace (cf. Ps 34:14).
- The method of attack: they plan deceitful words, not open force alone.
- The identity of the vulnerable: the quiet, the meek, those who trust in God.
- The injustice: the innocent suffer precisely because they are peaceful.
- The hope: the psalmist appeals to God, who sees the truth and will vindicate.
Illustration hooks
- Office gossip: A coworker spreads a rumor about someone who avoids drama, painting them as untrustworthy. The quiet one becomes the target of suspicion forged from lies.
- Political smear campaigns: During an election, a candidate who calls for unity is attacked with distorted accusations. The strategy is to neutralize the peacemaker by deceit.
- Faith community conflict: A church member who desires reconciliation is characterized as divisive because they refuse to take sides. False words poison relationships.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How should I respond when someone spreads lies about me, especially when I have tried to keep the peace?
- Does God really see the injustice of slander, and will He act on my behalf?
- What does it mean to be ‘quiet in the land’ today? Is it passivity or a trusting reliance on God?
Leading a Discussion
This verse draws a sharp line between the speech of the wicked and the posture of the righteous. The enemies do not speak peace; they craft lies. The righteous are described as quiet in the land, not weak, but trusting in God rather than retaliation. As you explore this text together, consider how you have experienced or witnessed the power of deceitful words against those who desire peace.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 35:20. What does it mean to ‘not speak peace’? How does silence or active hostility fit into this?
- Why do the enemies use ‘deceitful words’ rather than open violence? What does that tell us about their tactics?
- Who are the ‘quiet in the land’? How does the Bible describe this group elsewhere (e.g., Psalm 37:11, Zephaniah 2:3)?
- How does this verse connect to the surrounding context, especially verses 19 and 21, 24? What is David asking God to do?
- In what situations today do we see the same pattern, people who falsely accuse those who are peaceable?
- How can we be like the ‘quiet in the land’ without becoming passive in the face of injustice?
- What hope does this verse offer for those who are slandered or persecuted for doing good?
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)
| Psalms 31:13 | For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life. |
| Psalms 36:3 | The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good. |
| Psalms 36:4 | He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil. |
| Psalms 38:12 | They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long. |
| Psalms 52:2 | Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. |
| Psalms 64:4 | to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly. |
| Psalms 64:6 | They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning. |
| Psalms 120:5 | Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! |
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
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the root of conflict in deliberate misrepresentation: the enemies invent false charges to justify strife. He observes that nearly every quarrel between nations, neighbors, or families grows from some distortion of facts, whether intentional or not, and would vanish if people were willing to see things as they truly are.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that David did not view everyone who opposed him as an enemy. He recognized that most people were simply misled by ignorance and the influence of those in power. Only those who knowingly and maliciously sided with Saul to gain his favor did David consider true enemies, and against them alone he called for God's judgment.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Their conduct is just the opposite of ‘the fear of the Lord’ ( Psa_34:13-14 ). For it is not peace that they speak, but against them that are quiet in the land they imagine words of guile , accusing them of being ‘troublers of Israel’ and disturbers of the peace.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that these words come not from friends but from enemies who craft lies deliberately. Their goal is to disturb the peace and unsettle the land, not to offer honest counsel. The deceit is calculated, not casual.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the hypocritical nature of these enemies: they may speak peace, but only deceptively. Their real aim is to plot harm against the quiet and righteous, whether David, Christ, or believers. The quiet ones are not the wealthy at ease, but the humble and peaceable people of God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB clarifies that "deceitful matters" refers specifically to deceptive words, not just any trouble. He identifies "the quiet in the land" as devout people who cherish peace.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch draws attention to the Hebrew behind the enemies' gestures: winking and pursing the lips signal deliberate malice. They are not merely hostile but crafty, inventing false accusations against those who walk quietly with God, and then openly gloating with cries of malignant joy when their schemes succeed.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees this psalm not as a repetitive lament but as a rhythmical prayer whose three themes circle back in spiraling intensity, mirroring a heart shaken to its core by bitter disappointment. He argues that David's imprecations are not personal revenge but zeal for God's cause, justified because the king's enemies oppose the very kingdom of the promise.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that David’s description of his enemies as those who hated him without a cause points directly to Christ. This same phrase is quoted in the New Testament and fulfilled in Jesus, who was also opposed and persecuted despite giving no provocation.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the enemies do not attack openly but use subtle tricks and deceitful schemes against the psalmist and his peaceful followers. Their words are full of threats and war, even as those they target wish for nothing but quiet and peace.