Psalm 12:3

3 May the LORD silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—

Psalm 12:3 in Other Translations

3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts,

3 May the LORD cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues.

3 Slice their lips off their faces! Pull The braggart tongues from their mouths!

3 Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaketh great things;

3 May the LORD cut off every flattering lip and every bragging tongue

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks boastfully.

3 May the LORD cut off all lips that don't mean what they say. May he cut out every tongue that brags.

Psalm 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 12:3

The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips
This is either a prophecy or a prayer, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe; that God either would or should cut off such who used flattery with their lips, by inflicting some judgment in this life, or everlasting punishment hereafter; by taking them away by death "out of the world", as the Targum paraphrases it; or by casting them into hell, where all liars and deceitful persons will have their portion; see ( Job 32:21 Job 32:22 ) ;

[and] the tongue that speaketh proud things,
or "great things" ^F6, as the little horn, ( Daniel 7:20 Daniel 7:25 ) ; and the beast, or Romish antichrist, who is designed by both, ( Revelation 13:5 Revelation 13:6 ) ; and which will be accomplished when Christ shall destroy him with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming; and indeed every tongue that riseth up against God, Christ, and his people, will be condemned; when ungodly sinners will be convinced of all their hard speeches, ( Isaiah 54:17 ) ( Jude 1:15 ) . Perhaps some regard may be had to the tongue of Doeg the Edomite; see ( Psalms 52:3-5 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (twldg) "magna", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis; "grandia", Cocceius.

Psalm 12:3 In-Context

1 Help, LORD, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.

2 Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts.

3 May the LORD silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—

4 those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

5 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will protect them from those who malign them.”

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 26:28; Proverbs 28:23
• 2. Psalms 73:9; Daniel 7:8; James 3:5; Revelation 13:5