Focused Passage

Psalms 12:1-4

The LORD’s Pure Words in a Generation of False Speech

The psalm moves from lament over vanishing faithfulness, to exposure of deceitful and arrogant speech, to the LORD’s promise to arise for the oppressed, to confidence in the purity and preservation of his words, ending with sober realism about wickedness still prowling.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

1 Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.

2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.

4 They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Isaiah 57:1 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 5:1 Classic cross-references Matthew 24:12 Classic cross-references Isaiah 59:13 Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:21 Classic cross-references

Original words

Help הוֹשִׁ֣יעָה H3467 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular O LORD יְ֭הוָה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular for כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction the godly חָסִ֑יד H2623 Adjective - masculine singular . . . כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction are no more גָמַ֣ר H1584 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the faithful אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים H529 Adjective - masculine plural have vanished פַ֥סּוּ H6461 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural from among מִבְּנֵ֥י H1121 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct men אָדָֽם׃ H120 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

Sheminith is probably a musical term; here and in 1 Chronicles 15:21 and Psalm 6:1.

Verse 2

Cross-references

Proverbs 23:7 Classic cross-references Luke 6:45 Classic cross-references Matthew 15:11 Classic cross-references James 3:5 Classic cross-references Romans 16:18 Classic cross-references

Original words

They lie שָׁ֤וְא׀ H7723 Noun - masculine singular . . . יְֽדַבְּרוּ֮ H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural to אֶת־ H854 Preposition one אִ֤ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular another רֵ֫עֵ֥הוּ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular they speak יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃ H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural with flattering חֲלָק֑וֹת H2513 Adjective - masculine plural lips שְׂפַ֥ת H8193 Noun - feminine singular construct [and] a double heart בְּלֵ֖ב H3820 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular . . . וָלֵ֣ב H3820 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

Proverbs 18:21 Classic cross-references Daniel 7:8 Classic cross-references Revelation 13:5 Classic cross-references Psalms 17:10 Classic cross-references Psalms 31:18 Classic cross-references

Original words

May the LORD יְ֭הוָה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular cut off יַכְרֵ֣ת H3772 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct flattering חֲלָק֑וֹת H2513 Adjective - masculine plural lips שִׂפְתֵ֣י H8193 Noun - feminine dual construct and [every] boastful מְדַבֶּ֥רֶת H1696 Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular . . . גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃ H1419 Adjective - feminine plural tongue לָ֝שׁ֗וֹן H3956 Noun - common singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 6:19 Classic cross-references Psalms 39:1 Classic cross-references James 3:5 Classic cross-references 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Classic cross-references Exodus 5:2 Classic cross-references

Original words

They אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative say אָֽמְר֨וּ׀ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural With our tongues לִלְשֹׁנֵ֣נוּ H3956 Preposition-l | Noun - common singular construct | first person common plural we will prevail נַ֭גְבִּיר H1396 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common plural We own אִתָּ֑נוּ H854 Direct object marker | first person common plural our lips שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ H8193 Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common plural who מִ֖י H4310 Interrogative can be our master אָד֣וֹן H113 Noun - masculine singular

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