2 Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
For those who are such don't serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.
If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it.
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
Don't draw me away with the wicked, With the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, But mischief is in their hearts.
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.
For there shall be no more any false vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. They bend their tongue, [as it were] their bow, for falsehood; and they are grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they don't know me, says Yahweh. Take you heed everyone of his neighbor, and don't you trust in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders. They will deceive everyone his neighbor, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves to commit iniquity. Your habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, says Yahweh.
A man who flatters his neighbor, Spreads a net for his feet.
Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, Whose mouths speak deceit, Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
> Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God's loving kindness endures continually. Your tongue plots destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah. You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 12
Commentary on Psalms 12 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 12
Ps 12:1-8. On title, see Introduction and see on Ps 6:1. The Psalmist laments the decrease of good men. The pride and deceit of the wicked provokes God's wrath, whose promise to avenge the cause of pious sufferers will be verified even amidst prevailing iniquity.
1. the faithful—or literally, "faithfulness" (Ps 31:23).
2. The want of it is illustrated by the prevalence of deceit and instability.
3, 4. Boasting (Da 7:25) is, like flattery, a species of lying.
lips, and … tongue—for persons.
5. The writer intimates his confidence by depicting God's actions (compare Ps 9:19; 10:12) as coming to save the poor at whom the wicked sneer (Ps 10:5).
6. The words—literally, "saying of" (Ps 12:5).
seven times—thoroughly (Da 3:19).
7. them—(Margin.)
8. The wicked roam undisturbed doing evil, when vileness and vile men are exalted.