Psaume 12:4

4 L'Éternel veuille retrancher toutes les lèvres flatteuses, et la langue qui parle avec orgueil,

Psaume 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.

Psaume 12:4 In-Context

2 Délivre-nous, ô Éternel! Car il n'y a plus d'hommes de bien; les fidèles ont disparu d'entre les fils des hommes.
3 Ils se parlent faussement l'un à l'autre; ils parlent avec des lèvres flatteuses, avec un cœur double.
4 L'Éternel veuille retrancher toutes les lèvres flatteuses, et la langue qui parle avec orgueil,
5 Ceux qui disent: Nous aurons le dessus par nos langues, nos lèvres sont à nous, qui sera notre maître?
6 A cause de l'oppression des misérables, à cause du gémissement des pauvres, maintenant, dit l'Éternel, je me lèverai; je mettrai en sûreté celui qu'on insulte.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.