Psalm 12:2-4 NASB,NASB

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 12:1-8

This psalm furnishes us with good thoughts for bad times, in which, though the prudent will keep silent (Amos 5:13) because a man may then be made an offender for a word, yet we may comfort ourselves with such suitable meditations and prayers as are here got ready to our hand. I. Let us see here what it is that makes the times bad, and when they may be said to be so. Ask the children of this world what it is in their account that makes the times bad, and they will tell you, Scarcity of money,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 12:2

They speak vanity everyone with his neighbour ,.... That which is false and a lie, either doctrinal or practical; what was not according to the word of God, and was vain and empty, frothy, filthy, and corrupt; and which no godly and faithful man would do. And this being done in common, by the generality of men, one with another, shows the degeneracy of the age, and supports the complaint before made. They speak even with flattering lips ; as Cain did to Abel, Joab to Amasa, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 12:3

The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips ,.... This is either a prophecy or a prayer, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe; that God either would or should cut off such who used flattery with their lips, by inflicting some judgment in this life, or everlasting punishment hereafter; by taking them away by death "out of the world", as the Targum paraphrases it; or by casting them into hell, where all liars and deceitful persons will have their portion; see Job 32:21 ; and the tongue that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 12:4

Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail ,.... Either through the eloquence of them, or the outward force and power with which they are backed. The sense is, as we say, so shall it be; our words are laws, and shall be obeyed, there is no standing against them; our edicts and decrees shall everywhere be regarded: or "we will make one to prevail", or "have the dominion" F7 נגביר "prevalere ac dominare, faciemus, scil. aliquem regem, dominum", Cocceius. ; meaning antichrist, the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:2

They speak vanity every one with his neighbor - They are false and hollow; they say one thing while they mean another; there is no trusting to what they say. Flattering lips, and with a double heart do they speak - ולב בלב beleb valeb , "With a heart and a heart." They seem to have two hearts; one to speak fair words, and the other to invent mischief. The old MS. both translates and paraphrases curiously. Trans. Dayn spak ilkan til his neghbur: swykil lippis in hert, and thurgh... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:3

Proud things - גדלות gedoloth , great things; great swelling words, both in their promises and in their commendations. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:4

Our lips are our own - Many think, because they have the faculty of speaking, that therefore they may speak what they please. Old MS - The qwilk sayd, our toung we sal wyrchip, our lippes er of us, qwas our Lorde? Tha Ypocrites worchepes thair toung; for that hee tham self janglyng and settes in thaire pouste to do mykil thyng and grete: and thai rose tham that thair lippes that es thair facund and thair wyls er of tham self, nought of God, ne of haly menes lare; for thi that say qua es... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:2

Verse 2 2.Every man speaketh deceit. David in this verse sets forth that part of unrighteousness which is contrary to truth. He says that there is no sincerity or uprightness in their speech, because the great object upon which they are bent is to deceive. He next describes the manner in which they deceive, namely, that every man endeavors to ensnare his neighbor by flattery (257) He also points out the fountain and first cause of this, They speak with a double heart. This doubleness of heart,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:3

Verse 3 To his complaint in the preceding verse he now subjoins an imprecation, that God would cut off deceitful tongues. It is uncertain whether he wishes that deceitful men may be utterly destroyed, or only that the means of doing mischief may be taken from them; but the scope of the passage leads us rather to adopt the first sense, and to view David as desiring that God, by some means or other, would remove that plague out of the way. As he makes no mention of malice, while he inveighs so... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:4

Verse 4 This the Psalmist confirms more fully in the following verse: Who have said, we will be strengthened by our tongues Those must be possessed of great authority who think that, in the very falsehood to which they are addicted, they have enough of strength to accomplish their purposes, and to protect themselves. It is the utmost height of wickedness for persons to break out into such presumption, that they scruple not to overthrow all law and equity by their arrogant and boasting language;... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 12:1-8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 12:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 12:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 12:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:4

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:2

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:4

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