Psalms 12:3

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.

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?”

5 “For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.
KJV
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
WEB
May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts,
ASV
Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaketh great things;
DARBY
Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things,
BLB
May YHWH cut off all lips of flattery, a tongue speaking great [things]—
ÅB
Måtte Herren skjære av alle falske lepper,
og tungen som taler store ord,
OTB
Måtte Herren bringe til taushet alle smigrende lepper,
tungen som skryter av store ting;
B1930
Herren utrydde alle falske leber, den tunge som taler store ord,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Proverbs 18:21

    Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 13:5

    The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.

    Read in context
  • Daniel 7:8

    While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 17:10

    They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance.

    Read in context
  • Daniel 4:30–31

    the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

    Read in context
  • 2 Peter 2:18

    With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.

    Read in context
  • Malachi 3:13

    “Your words against Me have been harsh,” says the LORD. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we spoken against You?’

    Read in context
  • Exodus 15:9

    The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’

    Read in context