The Meaning of Psalms 64:3 Explained

Psalms 64:3

KJV: Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

YLT: Who sharpened as a sword their tongue, They directed their arrow -- a bitter word.

Darby: Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword, and have aimed their arrow, a bitter word;

ASV: Who have whet their tongue like a sword, And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Who whet  their tongue  like a sword,  [and] bend  [their bows to shoot] their arrows,  [even] bitter  words: 

What does Psalms 64:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 64:1-10 - Deliverance From Powerful Foes
Another of the psalms dating from Saul's persecution. There are two stanzas.
Prayer for preservation, Psalms 64:1-6
Insult, sarcasm, and slander still fall to the lot of those who will live godly in this world. Very few of us are safe from poisoned arrows. Because the world is so full of evil men, who are disposed to put the worst construction on every act, we should be constantly on our guard to give no needless cause to the enemy to blaspheme, 2 Samuel 12:14. Daniel gives us an admirable illustration of this, since his enemies had no cause against him, save as it concerned the law of his God, Daniel 6:5.
Assurance of divine vindication, Psalms 64:7-10
David felt that God had undertaken to be his champion. His arrows were flying through the air thick and fast. Curses come home to roost, and the overthrow of wickedness by the floating mines set to wreck the righteous, is evidence of God's government of the world. Let the righteous look forward with quiet confidence to the time when the world shall be righted, and when the water-pots that are now filled to the brim with tears shall yield the wine of the wedding-feast. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 64

1  David prays for deliverance, complaining of his enemies
7  He promises himself to see such an evident destruction of his enemies,
10  as the righteous shall rejoice at it

What do the individual words in Psalms 64:3 mean?

who sharpen like a sword their tongue and bend [their bows to shoot] their arrows words bitter
אֲשֶׁ֤ר שָׁנְנ֣וּ כַחֶ֣רֶב לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם דָּרְכ֥וּ חִ֝צָּ֗ם דָּבָ֥ר מָֽר

שָׁנְנ֣וּ  sharpen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁנַן 
Sense: to sharpen, whet.
כַחֶ֣רֶב  like  a  sword 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם  their  tongue 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לָשֹׁון  
Sense: tongue.
דָּרְכ֥וּ  and  bend  [their  bows  to  shoot] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּרַךְ  
Sense: to tread, bend, lead, march.
חִ֝צָּ֗ם  their  arrows 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חֵץ  
Sense: arrow.
דָּבָ֥ר  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
מָֽר  bitter 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מַר 
Sense: bitter, bitterness.