Psalms 12:3

Psalms 12:3 in other versions

• New International Version (NIV)May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—
• English Standard Version (ESV)May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts,
• New King James Version (NKJV)May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, And the tongue that speaks proud things,
• New Living Translation (NLT)May the Lord cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues.

Context of Psalms 12:3

1Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. 2They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? 5For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

Psalms 12:3 word by word

יַכְרֵ֣ת יְ֭הוָה כָּל־שִׂפְתֵ֣י חֲלָק֑וֹת לָ֝שׁ֗וֹן מְדַבֶּ֥רֶת גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

• The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• shall cut offכָּרַתkârath · to cut: eliminateH3772
• all flatteringחֶלְקָהchelqâh · portionH2513
• lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lipsH8193
• the tongueלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
• that speakethדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• proudגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419

Cross-references for Psalms 12:3

• Job 32:22For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.
• Psalms 17:10They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
• Psalms 73:8They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
• Exodus 15:9The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
• 1 Samuel 2:3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
• 1 Samuel 17:43And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
• 2 Kings 19:23By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
• Isaiah 10:10As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
• Ezekiel 28:2Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
• Ezekiel 29:3Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.
• Daniel 4:30The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
• Daniel 7:8I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
• Malachi 3:13Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
• 2 Peter 2:18For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
• Jude 1:16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
• Revelation 13:5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Commentaries on Psalms 12:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Proud things - גדלות gedoloth, great things; great swelling words, both in their promises and in their commendations.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The Lord shall cut off - This might be rendered, “May the Lord cut off,” implying a wish on the part of the psalmist that it might occur. But probably the common rendering is the correct one. It is the statement of a solemn truth, designed for warning, that all such persons would be punished. All flattering lips - The meaning is, that he will cut off all “persons” who use flattery; that is, he will cut them off from the favors which he will show to his…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. 3-43-4. Boasting (Da 7:25) is, like flattery, a species of lying. lips, and ... tongue--for persons.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 12:3

• Falsehood
• Flattery
• Infidelity
• Speaking

In the dictionaries

• Double
• Fail
• Joy
• Lip
• Music
• Papyrus
• Psalms, Book of

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