Psalms 52:2

52:2 Your tongue carries out your destructive plans; ¹ 

it is as effective as a sharp razor, O deceiver. ² 

Psalms 120:2-3

120:2 I said, ³  “O Lord, rescue me ⁴ 

from those who lie with their lips ⁵ 

and those who deceive with their tongue. ⁶ 

120:3 How will he severely punish you,

you deceptive talker? ⁷ 

[52:2]  ¹ tn Heb “destruction your tongue devises.”

[52:2]  ² tn Heb “like a sharpened razor, doer of deceit.” The masculine participle עָשָׂה (’asah) is understood as a substantival vocative, addressed to the powerful man.

[120:2]  ³ tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the introductory note for this psalm.

[120:2]  ⁴ tn Or “my life.”

[120:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “from a lip of falsehood.”

[120:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “from a tongue of deception.”

[120:3]  ⁵ 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).