A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Open sepulchre

Usage

Used to describe a hypocrite.

Definition

In the heat of the Middle East, it was important that dead bodies were quickly entombed (a sepulchre is a tomb) as decay would soon commence. The Psalmist likens the speech of the wicked to an open sepulchre, revealing the corruption within.

Bible References

Psalms 5:9

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. ²Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. ³O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. ⁴For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. ⁵The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. ⁶You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. ⁷But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. ⁸Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. ⁹For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. ¹⁰Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. ¹¹But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. ¹²For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

¹Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. ²Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. ³My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. ⁴For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. ⁵The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. ⁶Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. ⁷But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. ⁸Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. 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. ¹⁰Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee. ¹¹But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. ¹²For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

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