Psalms 31:18

31:18 May lying lips be silenced –

lips ¹  that speak defiantly against the innocent ² 

with arrogance and contempt!

Psalms 63:11

63:11 But the king ³  will rejoice in God;

everyone who takes oaths in his name ⁴  will boast,

for the mouths of those who speak lies will be shut up. ⁵ 

Psalms 120:3-4

120:3 How will he severely punish you,

you deceptive talker? ⁶ 

120:4 Here’s how! ⁷  With the sharp arrows of warriors,

with arrowheads forged over the hot coals. ⁸ 

[31:18]  ¹ tn Heb “the [ones which].”

[31:18]  ² tn Or “godly.”

[63:11]  ³ sn The psalmist probably refers to himself in the third person here.

[63:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “who swears [an oath] by him.”

[63:11]  ⁵ tn The Niphal of this verb occurs only here and in Gen 8:2, where it is used of God “stopping” or “damming up” the great deep as he brought the flood to an end.

[120:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “What will he give to you, and what will he add to you, O tongue of deception?” The psalmist addresses his deceptive enemies. The Lord is the understood subject of the verbs “give” and “add.” The second part of the question echoes a standard curse formula, “thus the Lord/God will do … and thus he will add” (see Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam 3:17; 14:44; 20:13; 25:22; 2 Sam 3:9, 35; 19:13; 1 Kgs 2:23; 2 Kgs 6:31).

[120:4]  ⁷ tn The words “here’s how” are supplied in the translation as a clarification. In v. 4 the psalmist answers the question he raises in v. 3.

[120:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “with coals of the wood of the broom plant.” The wood of the broom plant was used to make charcoal, which in turn was used to fuel the fire used to forge the arrowheads.