Psalm 10:7 describes what the wicked person’s words and inner life are actually full of: cursing, deceit, oppression, mischief, and wrongdoing. The verse is a diagnosis rather than a command, and it helps readers see that evil often begins in speech before it shows up in action. It is written by the psalmist, a worshiper who has watched a proud and ruthless person prosper while the vulnerable suffer, and who brings that complaint directly to God.
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
Psalm 10:7 (WEB)
What Psalm 10:7 Means
The verse begins with “his mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression.” The picture is of a person whose speech is saturated with what harms others: curses aimed at people, lies told to gain advantage, and words used to press down those who have less power. Speech in the Bible is never treated as trivial, because what a person says reveals what they have decided to do with their life.
The second half moves inward: “under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.” Under the tongue was where ancient readers pictured poison or a hidden sweetness, so the image suggests something concealed and kept ready. The wicked person is not only speaking harm but holding trouble and injustice close, ready to bring out at the right moment.
The verse does not promise that the wicked will be exposed or punished within the verse itself. It simply names what is going on, which is itself an act of honesty. The psalm as a whole then asks God to act, so Psalm 10:7 gives the reason the prayer is needed rather than the outcome.
The Context of Psalm 10:7
Psalm 10 belongs to the Psalter, the collection of songs and prayers in the Old Testament, and it is one of the psalms that begins with a question about where God seems to be. The speaker is not named, though tradition connects many psalms with David, and the poem is aimed at God while also describing a threat to ordinary, vulnerable people who depend on God’s justice.
The verses just before and after show the picture clearly. Verse 4 says the wicked person has no room for God in his thoughts, and verse 6 quotes his arrogant assumption that he will never be shaken. Verses 8 through 10 then describe him lying in ambush like a lion, crushing the helpless. Seen this way, the speech in verse 7 is part of a predator’s method, and it explains why the psalmist is so troubled.
Key Phrases in Psalm 10:7
Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who do the truth are his delight.
(WEB)
Proverbs 12:22 takes the same concern about speech and sets it in contrast to honesty, which the Lord values. Reading it alongside Psalm 10:7 helps you see that God cares about truthfulness as a clear mark of who he is and how his people should live.
Psalm 12:2
Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
(WEB)
Psalm 12:2 describes people who speak falsely to one another with flattering lips and a double heart. It deepens the picture from Psalm 10:7 by showing how deceit is spread among neighbors, and it reminds readers that the psalmists repeatedly brought such problems before God.
A Short Prayer From Psalm 10:7
Lord, you see the words people speak in private and the plans they keep hidden. When my own heart is tempted to speak harshly or to justify a half-truth, search me and correct me. Where others use their mouths to curse, deceive, or press down the weak, protect those who are being harmed and give them courage to stand. Teach me to speak what is true and kind, and to leave the final judgment of the wicked in your hands. Amen.
