Psalm 55:21
New International Version
His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.

New Living Translation
His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!

English Standard Version
His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

Berean Standard Bible
His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.

King James Bible
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

New King James Version
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

New American Standard Bible
His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

NASB 1995
His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

NASB 1977
His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

Legacy Standard Bible
His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

Amplified Bible
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But his heart was hostile; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

Christian Standard Bible
His buttery words are smooth, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
His buttery words are smooth, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.

American Standard Version
His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war: His words were softer than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
They were troubled by the passion of his Person and by the anger of his heart; his words were softer than oil and effective as spearheads.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They were scattered at the anger of his countenance, and his heart drew nigh them. His words were smoother than oil, yet are they darts.

Contemporary English Version
His words were smoother than butter, and softer than olive oil. But hatred filled his heart, and he was ready to attack with a sword.

Douay-Rheims Bible
they are divided by the wrath Of his countenance, and his heart hath drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.

English Revised Version
His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
His speech is smoother than butter, but there is war in his heart. His words are more soothing than oil, but they are like swords ready to attack.

Good News Translation
His words were smoother than cream, but there was hatred in his heart; his words were as soothing as oil, but they cut like sharp swords.

International Standard Version
His mouth is as smooth as butter, while war is in his heart. His words were as smooth as olive oil, while his sword is drawn.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Smoother than cream were the speeches of his mouth, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet were they keen-edged swords.

Literal Standard Version
His mouth has been sweeter than honey, | And his heart [is] war! His words have been softer than oil, | And they [are] drawn [swords].

Majority Standard Bible
His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.

New American Bible
Softer than butter is his speech, but war is in his heart. Smoother than oil are his words, but they are unsheathed swords.

NET Bible
His words are as smooth as butter, but he harbors animosity in his heart. His words seem softer than oil, but they are really like sharp swords.

New Revised Standard Version
with speech smoother than butter, but with a heart set on war; with words that were softer than oil, but in fact were drawn swords.

New Heart English Bible
His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

Webster's Bible Translation
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

World English Bible
His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

Young's Literal Translation
Sweeter than honey hath been his mouth, And his heart is war! Softer have been his words than oil, And they are drawn swords.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Cast Your Burden upon the LORD
20My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. 21His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed. 22Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.…

Cross References
Psalm 12:2
They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

Psalm 28:3
Do not drag me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts.

Psalm 35:20
For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.

Psalm 57:4
My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts--with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.

Psalm 59:7
See what they spew from their mouths--sharp words from their lips: "For who can hear us?"

Psalm 62:4
They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch; they delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Selah

Psalm 120:7
I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war.


Treasury of Scripture

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

The words

Psalm 28:3
Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

Psalm 57:4
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Psalm 62:4
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

war

John 13:2
And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

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Butter Cream Drawn Heart Honey Keen-Edged Mouth Oil Sharp Smooth Smoother Soothing Speech Speeches Sweeter Swords War Words
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Butter Cream Drawn Heart Honey Keen-Edged Mouth Oil Sharp Smooth Smoother Soothing Speech Speeches Sweeter Swords War Words
Psalm 55
1. David in his prayer complains of his fearful case
9. He prays against his enemies, of whose wickedness and treachery he complains
16. He comforts himself in God's preservation oh him, and confusion of his enemies














(21) The words of his mouth.--The ancient versions and the grammatical anomalies point to a corruption of the text. Read, Smoother than butter is his face. The reading face for mouth is suggested by the LXX., though their version has wandered far from the text even thus amended.

Drawn swords.--The comparison of the tongue to a sword is frequent; that of the words themselves not so usual, but apt. We may compare Shakespeare's

"I will speak daggers to her, but use none."--Hamlet.

Verse 21. - The words of his mouth wore smoother than butter; literally, smooth were the butters of his mouth - i.e., his flattering utterances. But war was in his heart; literally, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords; i.e. keen, cutting - according to our own idiom, "like daggers."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
His speech
פִּיו֮ (pîw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

is smooth
חָלְק֤וּ ׀ (ḥā·lə·qū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2505: To be smooth, to apportion, separate

as butter,
מַחְמָאֹ֣ת (maḥ·mā·’ōṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4260: Something buttery, as, flattery

but war
וּֽקֲרָב־ (ū·qă·rāḇ-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7128: Hostile encounter

is in his heart.
לִ֫בּ֥וֹ (lib·bōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

His words
דְבָרָ֥יו (ḏə·ḇā·rāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

are softer
רַכּ֖וּ (rak·kū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7401: To be tender, weak or soft

than oil,
מִשֶּׁ֗מֶן (miš·še·men)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8081: Grease, liquid, richness

yet they are
וְהֵ֣מָּה (wə·hêm·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

swords unsheathed.
פְתִחֽוֹת׃ (p̄ə·ṯi·ḥō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 6609: Something opened, a drawn sword


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OT Poetry: Psalm 55:21 His mouth was smooth as butter (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 55:20
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