The Hurtful Tongue
1{To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.} Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
3Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
4That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
5They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
6They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
7But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
8So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
9And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.
10The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The Hurtful Tongue
(James 3:1–12)
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Hear my voice, God, in my complaint. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil;
3 who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrows, deadly words,
4 to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly.
5 They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, “Who will see them?”
6 They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.
7 But God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.
8 Their own tongues shall ruin them. All who see them will shake their heads.
9 All mankind shall be afraid. They shall declare the work of God, and shall wisely ponder what he has done.
10 The righteous shall be glad in Yahweh, and shall take refuge in him. All the upright in heart shall praise him!
The Hurtful Tongue
(James 3:1–12)
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1Hear, O God, my voice of complaint;
preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the scheming of the wicked,
from the mob of workers of iniquity,
3 who sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim their bitter words like arrows,
4 ambushing the innocent in seclusion,
shooting suddenly, without fear.
5 They hold fast to their evil purpose;
they speak of hiding their snares.
“Who will see them?” they say.
6 They devise injustice and say,
“We have perfected a secret plan.”
For the inner man and the heart are mysterious.
7 But God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly they will be wounded.
8 They will be made to stumble,
their own tongues turned against them.
All who see will shake their heads.
9 Then all mankind will fear
and proclaim the work of God;
so they will ponder what He has done.
10 Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and take refuge in Him;
let all the upright in heart exult.
The Hurtful Tongue
1To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Hear, O God, my voice, in my meditation, From the fear of an enemy Thou keepest my life,
2Hidest me from the secret counsel of evil doers, From the tumult of workers of iniquity.
3Who sharpened as a sword their tongue, They directed their arrow -- a bitter word.
4To shoot in secret places the perfect, Suddenly they shoot him, and fear not.
5They strengthen for themselves an evil thing, They recount of the hiding of snares, They have said, 'Who doth look at it?'
6They search out perverse things, 'We perfected a searching search,' And the inward part of man, and the heart are deep.
7And God doth shoot them with an arrow, Sudden have been their wounds,
8And they cause him to stumble, Against them is their own tongue, Every looker on them fleeth away.
9And all men fear, and declare the work of God, And His deed they have considered wisely.
10The righteous doth rejoice in Jehovah, And hath trusted in Him, And boast themselves do all the upright of heart!
