English Standard Version
Psalms 12:2
2Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
Psalms 12:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
- New International Version (NIV)Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts.
- New King James Version (NKJV)They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts.
Context of Psalms 12:2
1Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. 3May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, 4those who say, "With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?"
Read all of Psalms 12Psalms 12:2 word by word
שָׁ֤וְא׀ יְֽדַבְּרוּ֮ אִ֤ישׁ אֶת־רֵ֫עֵ֥הוּ שְׂפַ֥ת חֲלָק֑וֹת בְּלֵ֖ב וָלֵ֣ב יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 12:2
- Psalms 10:7His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
- Psalms 36:3The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
- Psalms 38:12Those who seek my life lay their snares; those who seek my hurt speak of ruin and meditate treachery all day long.
- Psalms 41:6And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
- Psalms 52:1Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
- Psalms 59:12For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride. For the cursing and lies that they utter,
- Psalms 144:8whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
- Jeremiah 9:2Oh that I had in the desert a travelers' lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men.
- Psalms 5:9For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.
- Psalms 28:3Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts.
- Psalms 62:4They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah
- Proverbs 20:19Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.
- Proverbs 29:5A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
- Ezekiel 12:24For there shall be no more any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.
- Romans 16:18For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:5For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.
Commentaries on Psalms 12:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2They 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2They speak vanity - This is a statement of the “manner” in which the “godly” and the “faithful” fail, as stated in Psalm 12:1. One of the ways was that there was a disregard of truth; that no confidence could be placed on the statements of those who professed to be pious; that they dealt falsely with their neighbors. The word “vanity” here is equivalent to “falsehood.” What they spoke was a vain and empty thing, instead of being the truth. It had no…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4Evil becomes so widespread that the godly pray for rescue (Isaiah 57:1; Micah 7:2; compare Psalms 1:6; 37:20; 58:7; 104:35).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. The want of it is illustrated by the prevalence of deceit and instability.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 12:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries