Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. The lion represents the openly violent foes of the godly: the adder and serpent the crafty liers in wait. Satan can at one time be the "roaring lion," at another the subtle dragon and suddenly stinging adder. Allusion is here made to "that great and terrible wilderness wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions" (Deuteronomy 8:15). God enabled His servants, Samson, David, and Daniel, to gain victories over literal lions (Judges 14:5; 1 Samuel 17:34-35; Daniel 6:23), a type of the spiritual victory which the saints are given over lion-like demons and human enemies (2 Timothy 2:17; Exodus 4:3-4).