Psalms 55:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war: His words were softer than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

שָׁלַ֣ח יָ֭דָיו בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יו חִלֵּ֥ל בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

He šālaḥ yādāyw against šəlōmāyw ḥillēl bərîtô

Grammar Details

*šālaḥ*: qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he has sent
*yādāyw*: feminine dual noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his hands
*šəlōmāyw*: masculine plural noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix and prefixed preposition beth (against) - against his friends
*ḥillēl*: piel perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he has profaned
*bərîtô*: feminine singular noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his covenant

Word Meanings

*šālaḥ*: he has sent/he stretched forth/he put forth
*yādāyw*: his hands
*šəlōmāyw*: his friends/those at peace with him/his allies
*ḥillēl*: he has profaned/he has violated/he has broken
*bərîtô*: his covenant/his agreement

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Ps 28:3 : 3 Draw me not away with the wicked, And with the workers of iniquity; That speak peace with their neighbors, But mischief is in their hearts.
Ps 57:4 : 4 My soul is among lions; I lie among them that are set on fire, Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.
Prov 5:3-4 : 3 For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil: 4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
Prov 12:18 : 18 There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health.
Prov 26:24-26 : 24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips; But he layeth up deceit within him: 25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not; For there are seven abominations in his heart: 26 Though [his] hatred cover itself with guile, His wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly.
Prov 26:28 : 28 A lying tongue hateth those whom it hath wounded; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Matt 26:25 : 25 And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said.
Luke 20:20-21 : 20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, who feigned themselves {G1511} to be righteous, that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor. 21 And they asked him, saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest not the person [of any], but of a truth teachest the way of God:
John 13:2 : 2 And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's [son], to betray him,
Ps 59:7 : 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth; Swords are in their lips: For who, [say they], doth hear?
Ps 62:4 : 4 They only consult to thrust him down from his dignity; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. {H5542}
Ps 64:3 : 3 Who have whet their tongue like a sword, And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words,
Ps 12:2 : 2 They speak falsehood every one with his neighbor: With flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Ps 55:20
79%
20He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: He hath profaned his covenant.
Jer 9:8
76%
8Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth wait for him.
Ps 10:7
74%
7His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression: Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
Ps 36:3
73%
3The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: He hath ceased to be wise [and] to do good.
Ps 35:20
73%
20For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
Ps 52:2
72%
2Thy tongue deviseth very wickedness, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
Prov 5:3
72%
3For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil:
Ps 64:3
72%
3Who have whet their tongue like a sword, And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words,
Ps 120:7
72%
7I am [for] peace: But when I speak, they are for war.
Ps 140:2-3
2 verses
71%
2Who devise mischiefs in their heart; Continually do they gather themselves together for war.
3They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; Adders' poison is under their lips. {H5542}
Prov 26:22-24
3 verses
71%
22The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.
23Fervent lips and a wicked heart Are [like] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
24He that hateth dissembleth with his lips; But he layeth up deceit within him:
Job 20:12-13
2 verses
70%
12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,
13Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;
Isa 10:7
70%
7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few.
Ps 37:14-15
2 verses
70%
14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way.
15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bows shall be broken.
Isa 49:2
70%
2and he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me: and he hath made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he kept me close:
Prov 6:14
70%
14In whose heart is perverseness, Who deviseth evil continually, Who soweth discord.
Prov 27:6
70%
6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
Ps 5:9
70%
9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is very wickedness; Their throat is an open sepulchre; They flatter with their tongue.
Ps 59:7
70%
7Behold, they belch out with their mouth; Swords are in their lips: For who, [say they], doth hear?
Ps 109:2
70%
2For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me: They have spoken unto me with a lying tongue.
Job 20:24-25
2 verses
70%
24He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.
Prov 25:15
70%
15By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
Ps 37:12
70%
12The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
Prov 24:2
69%
2For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.
Ezek 21:11
69%
11And it is given to be furbished, that it may be handled: the sword, it is sharpened, yea, it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.
Prov 12:18
69%
18There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health.
Job 39:23
69%
23The quiver rattleth against him, The flashing spear and the javelin.
Ps 28:3
69%
3Draw me not away with the wicked, And with the workers of iniquity; That speak peace with their neighbors, But mischief is in their hearts.
Prov 15:1
69%
1A soft answer turneth away wrath; But a grievous word stirreth up anger.
Job 41:21
69%
21His breath kindleth coals, And a flame goeth forth from his mouth.
Prov 12:20
69%
20Deceit is in the heart of them that devise evil; But to the counsellors of peace is joy.
Prov 26:26
69%
26Though [his] hatred cover itself with guile, His wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly.
Ps 50:19
69%
19Thou givest thy mouth to evil, And thy tongue frameth deceit.
2 Sam 22:35
69%
35He teacheth my hands to war, So that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.
Ps 52:4
68%
4Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
Ps 12:2
68%
2They speak falsehood every one with his neighbor: With flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak.
Ps 62:4
68%
4They only consult to thrust him down from his dignity; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. {H5542}
Ps 55:22
68%
22Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Ps 45:5
68%
5Thine arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under thee; [They are] in the heart of the king's enemies.
Prov 7:21
68%
21With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield; With the flattering of her lips she forceth him along.
Ps 55:12
68%
12For it was not an enemy that reproached me; Then I could have borne it: Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; Then I would have hid myself from him:
Prov 16:24
68%
24Pleasant words are [as] a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Ps 58:7
68%
7Let them melt away as water that runneth apace: When he aimeth his arrows, let them be as though they were cut off.
Prov 25:18
68%
18A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.