Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
There is no fear of God before their eyes-- (Psalms 36:1): that is, "Did the eyes but 'see Him who is invisible' (Hebrews 11:27), a reverential awe of Him with whom we have to do would chasten every joy and lift the soul out of its deepest depressions; but to all this the natural man is a stranger." How graphic is this picture of human depravity, finding its way through each several organ of the body into the life (Romans 3:13-17): but how small a part of the "desperate wickedness" that is within (Jeremiah 17:9) "proceedeth out of the heart of man!" (Mark 7:21-23; Psalms 19:12).
Their, etc.--From generals, the apostle here comes to particulars, culling from different parts of Scripture passages which speak of depravity as it affects the different members of the body; as if to show more affectingly how "from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness" in us.
throat is an open sepulchre-- (Psalms 5:9); that is, "What proceeds out of their heart, and finds vent in speech and action through the throat, is like the pestilential breath of an open grave."
with their tongues they have used deceit-- (Psalms 5:9); that is, "That tongue which is man's glory (Psalms 16:9; Psalms 57:8) is prostituted to the purposes of deception."
the poison of asps is under their lips-- (Psalms 140:3): that is, "Those lips which should 'drop as an honeycomb,' and 'feed many,' and 'give thanks unto His name' (Song of Solomon 4:11; Proverbs 10:21; Hebrews 13:15), are employed to secrete and to dart deadly poison."
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Romans 3:9
2 Corinthians 5:11
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