New King James Version
Psalms 12:2
2They speak idly everyone with 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Everyone utters lies to 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
1Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak. 3May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, And the tongue that speaks proud things, 4Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is lord 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 full of cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.
- Psalms 36:3The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
- Psalms 38:12Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, And plan deception all the day long.
- Psalms 41:6And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; His heart gathers iniquity to itself; When he goes out, he tells it.
- Psalms 52:1Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually.
- Psalms 59:12For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, Let them even be taken in their pride, And for the cursing and lying which they speak.
- Psalms 144:8Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
- Jeremiah 9:2Oh, that I had in the wilderness A lodging place for travelers; That I might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men.
- Psalms 5:9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue.
- Psalms 28:3Do not take me away with the wicked And with the workers of iniquity, Who speak peace to their neighbors, But evil is in their hearts.
- Psalms 62:4They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah
- Proverbs 20:19He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.
- Proverbs 29:5A man who flatters his neighbor Spreads a net for his feet.
- Ezekiel 12:24For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.
- Romans 16:18For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:5For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries