Psalms 34:13

34:13 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words ¹ 

or use deceptive speech! ² 

Psalms 52:4

52:4 You love to use all the words that destroy, ³ 

and the tongue that deceives.

[34:13]  ¹ tn Heb “guard your tongue from evil.”

[34:13]  ² tn Heb “and your lips from speaking deception.”

[52:4]  ³ tn Heb “you love all the words of swallowing.” Traditionally בַּלַּע (bala’) has been taken to mean “swallowing” in the sense of “devouring” or “destructive” (see BDB 118 s.v. בָּלַע). HALOT 135 s.v. III *בֶּלַע proposes a homonym here, meaning “confusion.” This would fit the immediate context nicely and provide a close parallel to the following line, which refers to deceptive words.