Psalms

Psalm 55:20–21

²⁰My companion attacks his friends;

he violates his covenant.

²¹His speech is smooth as butter,

but war is in his heart.

His words are softer than oil,

yet they are swords unsheathed.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My companion attacks	שָׁלַ֣ח	šā·laḥ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
his friends	בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יו	biš·lō·māw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H7965 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
he violates	חִלֵּ֥ל	ḥil·lêl	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2490 bore, pierce
his covenant	בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃	bə·rî·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1285 covenant

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
His speech	פִּיו֮	pîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
is smooth	חָלְק֤וּ׀	ḥā·lə·qū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2505 divide, share
as butter	מַחְמָאֹ֣ת	maḥ·mā·’ōṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H4260 buttery, flattery
but war	וּֽקֲרָב־	ū·qă·rāḇ-	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7128 battle, war
is in his heart	לִ֫בּ֥וֹ	lib·bōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
His words	דְבָרָ֥יו	ḏə·ḇā·rāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
are softer	רַכּ֖וּ	rak·kū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7401 be tender, weak, soft
than oil	מִשֶּׁ֗מֶן	miš·še·men	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H8081 fat, oil
yet they are	וְהֵ֣מָּה	wə·hêm·māh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
swords unsheathed	פְתִחֽוֹת׃	p̄ə·ṯi·ḥō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H6609 drawn sword

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 55:20 Psalm 7:4 · Acts 12:1 · Psalm 89:34 · Psalm 109:5 · Psalm 120:6–7 · Psalm 89:28 · 1 Samuel 22:17 · Ecclesiastes 8:2 · 1 Samuel 24:10 · Psalm 89:38 · Ezekiel 17:16–19

Psalm 55:21 Psalm 57:4 · Psalm 28:3 · Proverbs 5:3–4 · Proverbs 26:28 · Psalm 64:3 · Proverbs 26:24–26 · Psalm 12:2 · Luke 20:20–21 · Psalm 62:4 · Matthew 26:25 · Proverbs 12:18 · Psalm 59:7

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.