A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Butter someone up

Usage

To flatter or sweet-talk someone.

Definition

The contrast between the smooth words and the harsh intention of the speaker is clear in the Psalm: his words are deceitful.

Bible References

Psalms 55:21

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! ²Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, ³because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me. ⁴My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. ⁵Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. ⁶And I say, Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; ⁷yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah ⁸I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest. ⁹Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. ¹⁰Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; ¹¹ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace. ¹²For it is not an enemy who taunts me - then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me - then I could hide from him. ¹³But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. ¹⁴We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. ¹⁵Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart. ¹⁶But I call to God, and the Lord will save me. ¹⁷Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. ¹⁸He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. ¹⁹God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God. ²⁰My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. ²¹His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. ²²Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. ²³But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.

¹Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. ²Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; ³Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. ⁴My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. ⁵Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. ⁶And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. ⁷Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. ⁸I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. ⁹Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. ¹⁰Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. ¹¹Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. 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: ¹³But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. ¹⁴We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. ¹⁵Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. ¹⁶As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. ¹⁷Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. ¹⁸He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. ¹⁹God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. ²⁰He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. ²¹The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. ²²Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. ²³But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

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