Psalm 10:7 kjv
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
Psalm 10:7 nkjv
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.
Psalm 10:7 niv
His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue.
Psalm 10:7 esv
His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
Psalm 10:7 nlt
Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.
Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
Psalm 10 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 5:9 | "For there is no truth in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness..." | The wicked's mouth and inner depravity. |
| Psa 12:2-3 | "They speak falsehood every one with his neighbor; with flattering lip and with a double heart..." | Pervasiveness of deceitful speech. |
| Pṣa 52:2-4 | "Your tongue devises destruction... You love evil more than good..." | Deceitful tongue planning ruin. |
| Psa 55:21 | "His words were smoother than butter, yet war was in his heart..." | Smooth talk hiding malicious intent. |
| Prov 6:12-14 | "A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with perverted mouth, he winks with his eyes..." | Describing the corrupt actions and speech. |
| Prov 6:18 | "...a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil," | The inner source of wicked plans. |
| Prov 12:17 | "Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit." | Contrast between truth and deceitful witness. |
| Prov 15:8 | "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him." | God's view on the wicked's offerings. |
| Prov 24:2 | "for their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of mischief." | Heart devising violence, lips speaking mischief. |
| Isa 59:3-4 | "For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity... no one pleads with honesty..." | Nation steeped in defilement and injustice. |
| Jer 17:9-10 | "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" | The deeply corrupt nature of the human heart. |
| Hos 10:13 | "You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice..." | Actions stemming from ingrained iniquity. |
| Mal 2:16 | "'For the man who hates and divorces,' says the LORD... 'covers his garment with violence,' says the LORD..." | Violence and malicious actions connected to character. |
| Mat 12:34 | "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." | Direct link between heart's content and speech. |
| Mat 15:18-19 | "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person." | Evil thoughts from the heart defile speech. |
| Luk 6:45 | "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil..." | Inner state determines outward expression, including speech. |
| Rom 3:13-14 | "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit... Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." | Quoting Old Testament descriptions of wicked speech. |
| Eph 4:29 | "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up..." | Counterpart of constructive speech. |
| Col 3:8 | "But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk from your mouth." | Calling believers to put off corrupt speech. |
| 1 Tim 4:2 | "...through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared..." | Those who speak lies and have deadened consciences. |
| Jam 3:6 | "The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is set among our members..." | The tongue's powerful destructive capacity for evil. |
Psalm 10 verses
Psalm 10 7 Meaning
Psalm 10:7 graphically portrays the profound depravity of the wicked individual described in the Psalm. Their speech, symbolized by their mouth, is not merely tinged but saturated with malevolence, comprising malicious curses, deceptive falsehoods, and destructive oppression. Furthermore, the verse delves deeper, indicating that hidden beneath their tongue are premeditated plans of mischief and ingrained wickedness, signifying their pervasive inner corruption and treacherous intent.
Psalm 10 7 Context
Psalm 10 is a lament where the psalmist complains to God about the prosperity and unrestrained wickedness of the ungodly, who appear to act without consequence. The chapter portrays a vivid picture of the arrogant and self-sufficient oppressor. This verse, Psa 10:7, provides a direct characterization of this wicked individual's pervasive moral corruption, emphasizing their words and intentions as intrinsically evil. It builds upon previous verses (e.g., Psa 10:2-6) which detail the wicked's pursuit of the poor, their boasting, their disdain for God, and their self-assured belief that they will not fail. Psa 10:7, therefore, details the outward manifestation (through speech) and inner reality (through hidden malice) of this depraved character, which forms the basis for the psalmist's plea for God to intervene and uphold justice.
Historically, societies in the Ancient Near East placed significant value on truth and justice, yet were often plagued by abuse of power, bribery, and deception by those in authority or those without moral restraint. The psalm reflects a world where the strong often preyed on the weak, and false oaths and malicious words were tools of oppression. This verse serves as a polemic against the societal and personal decay caused by unchecked evil speech and intention, contrasting sharply with the divine standard of righteousness and justice, which demands integrity of speech and action.
Psalm 10 7 Word analysis
- His mouth (פִּיהוּ, pīhū): The physical organ of speech, but here metaphorically represents the sum total of one's vocal output. In biblical thought, the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Mat 12:34). It signifies that the wicked individual's character is plainly revealed through their spoken words, indicating a consistent pattern rather than occasional lapses.
- is full (מָלֵא, mālēʾ): Implies overflowing abundance, complete saturation. It signifies that wicked speech is not an occasional deviation but a defining, pervasive characteristic of the person. Their very being, particularly their communication, is filled to the brim with these evils.
- of cursing (אָלָה, ʾālāh): Refers to an oath or imprecation, a malediction, or hostile pronouncements. It suggests malicious language intended to bring harm, ill will, or divine judgment upon others.
- and deceit (מִרְמָה, mirmāh): Denotes fraud, treachery, trickery, or dishonesty. This word emphasizes a calculated intention to mislead, cheat, or betray, often through disingenuous words or false promises.
- and oppression (תֹּךְ, tōkh): Implies violence, injury, perversity, or ruin. This is not merely verbal harm but speech that contributes to or incites physical, emotional, or social harm and distress. Some interpret it as fraud, associating with words that oppress others.
- under his tongue (תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנוֹ, taḥat lĕšōnō): An idiom signifying that which is concealed or kept hidden, especially in terms of malicious thoughts, schemes, or secret intentions. Unlike what is "in the mouth," which is overtly expressed, "under the tongue" suggests a deeper, more insidious, and pre-meditated level of evil lurking beneath the surface of apparent conversation or a false veneer.
- are mischief and iniquity (אָוֶן וָאָוֶן, ʾāven wāʾāven): The doubling of ʾāven ('mischief' or 'wickedness' or 'trouble') emphatically conveys profound and ingrained moral depravity, productive of harm. ʾĀven often implies actively causing harm or trouble. The repetition intensifies the idea of inherent evil, moral corruption, and a persistent disposition towards bringing ruin and suffering to others.
- "His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression": This phrase describes the outward, manifest expression of the wicked person's character. Their words are literally vehicles for maledictions, lies, and injurious actions, showing a lack of moral restraint and a propensity for verbal abuse and fraud.
- "under his tongue are mischief and iniquity": This second part deepens the diagnosis, moving from outward manifestation to inward intent and hidden motivation. The evil is not merely superficial but stems from deeply rooted, deliberate plotting and an underlying wicked nature. It highlights the deceptive and insidious nature of the wicked person, whose actions might appear benign but are fueled by hidden malice. This demonstrates a strategic and calculated evil, not accidental wrongdoing.
Psalm 10 7 Bonus section
The strong focus on speech ("mouth," "tongue," "cursing," "deceit") in this verse underscores a foundational biblical principle: speech is a direct reflection of the heart (Mat 12:34; Lk 6:45). For the wicked described here, their inner spiritual condition of enmity toward God and others finds full and free expression through their words and hidden thoughts. The use of specific, strong terms like 'ālāh (cursing) and mirmāh (deceit) demonstrates the active and purposeful nature of their malevolence, rather than passive wickedness. The doubling of 'āven emphasizes the qualitative and quantitative fullness of trouble and destruction that emanates from such a character.
Psalm 10 7 Commentary
Psalm 10:7 vividly paints a portrait of the wicked, showcasing their complete moral bankruptcy. The psalmist highlights how their entire being is saturated with evil, evident both in their explicit verbal expressions and their clandestine thoughts and intentions. "His mouth is full" reveals that their characteristic discourse is consistently vile—rife with maledictions against others, deliberate falsehoods designed to ensnare or mislead, and speech that precipitates or embodies oppression. This signifies a person whose verbal output is not an occasional misstep but a continuous emanation of their corrupted character.
The phrase "under his tongue" extends this depiction of depravity to a more insidious level. It indicates a hidden wellspring of wickedness—not just spoken evils, but concealed schemes, malicious intentions, and carefully formulated plots of harm. This person's evil is not reactive but deeply ingrained and premeditated. They speak one thing while harboring a secret, destructive agenda. The repeated emphasis on "mischief and iniquity" underscores the totality and active, harmful nature of their corruption. The verse establishes that the wicked individual is consumed by active malevolence, presenting a consistent and pervasive threat, thus providing the psalmist a strong basis for lament and prayer for divine justice against such pervasive evil.