Psalms 12:4

4 I'm tired of hearing, "We can talk anyone into anything! Our lips manage the world."

Psalms 12:4 Meaning and 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; meaning antichrist, the man of sin; for all this is true of the tongues of the antichristian party, and of their laws, edicts, and decrees and which have obtained everywhere, and by which the wicked one has been established in his tyrannical power and authority;

our lips [are] our own,
or "with us" F8: we will say what we please, and make what laws and decrees we think fit, and impose them upon men; and so change times and laws without control, ( Daniel 7:25 ) ;

who [is] Lord over us?
which is the very language and conduct of antichrist, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, ( 2 Thessalonians 2:4 ) ; and is indeed the language of the hearts and lives of all wicked and ungodly men, sons of Belial, men without any yoke or restraint; who walk, and are resolved to walk, after the imagination of their own evil hearts; not knowing the Lord, and being unwilling to obey him, or to be restrained by him; see ( Exodus 5:2 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (rybgn) "prevalere ac dominare, faciemus, scil. aliquem regem, dominum", Cocceius.
F8 (wnta) "nobiscum", Musculus, Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Ainsworth.

Psalms 12:4 In-Context

2 Everyone talks in lie language; Lies slide off their oily lips. They doubletalk with forked tongues.
3 Slice their lips off their faces! Pull The braggart tongues from their mouths!
4 I'm tired of hearing, "We can talk anyone into anything! Our lips manage the world."
5 Into the hovels of the poor, Into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks: "I've had enough; I'm on my way To heal the ache in the heart of the wretched."
6 God's words are pure words, Pure silver words refined seven times In the fires of his word-kiln, Pure on earth as well as in heaven.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.