The Meaning of Psalms 59:7 Explained

Psalms 59:7

KJV: Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

YLT: Lo, they belch out with their mouths, Swords are in their lips, for 'Who heareth?'

Darby: Behold, they belch out with their mouth; swords are in their lips: for who say they doth hear?

ASV: Behold, they belch out with their mouth; Swords are in their lips: For who,'say they , doth hear?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, they belch out  with their mouth:  swords  [are] in their lips:  for who, [say they], doth hear? 

What does Psalms 59:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 59:1-17 - "god Is My High Tower"
This is the fifth of the Michtams, or "Golden Psalms." Compare Psalms 16:1-11; Psalms 56:1-13; Psalms 57:1-11; Psalms 58:1-11. The contents correspond to the title and to 1 Samuel 19:11.
The most noticeable feature is the twice-repeated refrain of Psalms 59:9; Psalms 17:1-15. In each case David appeals to God as my strength, and describes Him as my high tower and the God of my mercy. The possessive pronoun my is very remarkable. Each of us needs mercy of a very special sort. My mercy would not help you, nor would yours help me. Note also that God's mercy prevents, that is, "goes in front," Psalms 59:10. As the mother's thought prepares beforehand for the child, so God thinks ahead for us, and leads us into the good things which He has prepared for them that love Him, 1 Corinthians 2:9; Psalms 31:19.
In the first refrain David says, "I will wait for thee;" in the second, "I will sing praises." Waiting on God leads to singing. All night Saul's emissaries might prowl around David's home, like the wild dogs of an Eastern city. But within he was singing aloud of God's mercy, and when the morning broke he was in safety. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 59

1  David prays to be delivered from his enemies
6  He complains of their cruelty
8  He trusts in god
11  He prays against them
16  He praises God

What do the individual words in Psalms 59:7 mean?

Indeed they belch with their mouth Swords [are] in their lips for [they say] who hears
הִנֵּ֤ה ׀ יַבִּ֘יע֤וּן בְּפִיהֶ֗ם חֲ֭רָבוֹת בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם כִּי־ מִ֥י ؟ שֹׁמֵֽעַ

הִנֵּ֤ה ׀  Indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
יַבִּ֘יע֤וּן  they  belch 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: נָבַע  
Sense: to flow, pour out, pour, gush forth, spring, bubble up, ferment.
בְּפִיהֶ֗ם  with  their  mouth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
חֲ֭רָבוֹת  Swords  [are] 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם  in  their  lips 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.
כִּי־  for  [they  say] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
؟ שֹׁמֵֽעַ  hears 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.