Psalms 12:2

_THEY SPEAK VANITY EVERY ONE WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR: WITH FLATTERING LIPS AND WITH A DOUBLE HEART DO THEY SPEAK._ They speak vanity - i:e., falsehood: speech that holds out hopes doomed to disappointment: nothingness х_ SHAAW'_ (H7723)]. EVERY ONE WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR - with the very one to whom he is bound to be a friend, but whom he cheats with hollow assurances of friendship. This aggravates the offence, that it is against his neighbour. Paul (Ephesians 4:25) refers to this, "Putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour, because we are members one of another." WITH FLATTERING LIPS - literally, 'with a lip of smoothnesses.' AND WITH A DOUBLE HEART literally an heart and an heart; ie with duplicity "A double minded man" AND WITH A DOUBLE HEART - literally, an he

2._Every man speaketh deceit. _David in this verse sets forth that part of unrighteousness which is contrary to truth. He says that there is no sincerity or uprightness in their speech, because the great object upon which they are bent is to deceive. He next describes the manner in which they deceive, namely, that every man endeavors to ensnare his neighbor by _flattery _(257) He also points out the fountain and first cause of this, _They speak with a double heart. _This doubleness of heart, as I may term it, makes men double and variable in their speech, in order thereby to disguise themselves in different ways, (258) or to make themselves appear to others different from what they really are. Hence the Hebrew word חלקות, _chalakoth, _which denotes flattery, is derived from a word which signifies _division. _As those who

Verse Psalms 12:2. _THEY SPEAK VANITY EVERY ONE WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR_] They are false and hollow; they say one thing while they mean another; there is no trusting to what they say. _FLATTERING LIPS_, AND _WITH A DOUBLE HEART DO THEY SPEAK_] בלב ולב _beleb valeb_, "With a heart and a heart." They seem to have _two_ _hearts; one_ to speak fair words, and the _other_ to invent mischief. The old MS. both translates and paraphrases curiously. _Trans_. _Dayn spak ilkan til his neghbur: swykil lippis in hert,_ _and thurgh hert thai spak_. _Par_. - Sothfastnes es lessed, and falsed waxes: and al sa vayn spak ilkone to bygyle his neghbur: and many spendes thair tyme in vayne speche withoutyn profyte and gastely frute. And that er _swyku lippis_; that er jangelers berkand oga

THEY SPEAK VANITY - This is a statement of the “manner” in which the “godly” and the “faithful” fail, as stated in Psalms 12:1. One of the ways was that there was a disregard of truth; that no confidence could be placed on the statements of those who professed to be pious; that they dealt falsely with their neighbors. The word “vanity” here is equivalent to “falsehood.” What they spoke was a vain and empty thing, instead of being the truth. It had no reality, and could not be depended on. EVERY ONE WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR - In his statements and promises. No reliance could be placed on his word. WITH FLATTERING LIPS - Hebrew, “Lips of smoothness.” The verb from which the word used here is derived - חלק _chālaq_ - means properly to divide, to distrib

EXPOSITION ANOTHER Davidical psalm, both according to the title and to the general opinion of critics; said (like Psalms 6:1.) to be "upon Sheminith"—an expression of uncertain meaning. It consists of a complaint (Psalms 12:1, Psalms 12:2), a menace (Psalms 12:3, Psalms 12:4), and a promise (Psalms 12:5). Metrically, it seems to divide itself into four stanzas—the first, second, and fourth, of four lines each; the third, of six lines. There is nothing

THEY SPEAK VANITY EVERYONE WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR,.... That which is false and a lie, either doctrinal or practical; what was not according to the word of God, and was vain and empty, frothy, filthy, and corrupt; and which no godly and faithful man would do. And this being done in common, by the generality of men, one with another, shows the degeneracy of the age, and supports the complaint before made. They speak even [WITH] FLATTERING LIPS; as Cain did to Abel, Joab to Amasa, the Herodians to Christ, Judas to his Master, false teachers to those that are simple, hypocrites to God himself, when they draw nigh to him only with their lips, and all formal professors to the churches of Christ, when they profess themselves to be what they are not. And this is a further proof of the justness of the above complaint; [AND] WITH A DOUBLE HEART DO THEY SPEAK: or "with an heart and an heart" d; such...

Psalms 12:1. _Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men._ One might have thought that David still lived among us, his cry is so timely, so exactly true to the position of affairs today. What a prayer he offers! Driven away from confidence in men, he cries, «Help, Lord! Thou mighty One, put forth thy power! Thou faithful One, display thy truth! ‘Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.'» Psalms 12:2. _They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak._ They speak vanity; there is nothing in it. It is all froth, no reality; vain speech about vain subjects, having no real spiritual power to help the man that heareth: «

Psalms 12 _ 1. The arrogance of the wicked in the last days (Psalms 12:1)_ 2. Then Jehovah will act and deliver His people (Psalms 12:5) Psalms 12:1. It is the time of departure from the Lord; the godly and faithful have ceased. It is a mass of corruption, lying lips, flattering lips, proud lips. They reject the Lord. “Who is lord over us?” Psalms 12:5. Then faith sees the coming intervention. The Lord will speak. “Now will I arise, saith Jehovah, I will set him in safety whom they would puff.” Jehovah will keep His people in these coming dark

XII. A PRAYER OF FAITHFUL JEWS AGAINST THE ARROGANT TONGUE OF THE UNGODLY. Psalms 12:1_._ The godly man ceaseth (see Psalms 4:1). The wicked acknowledge no responsibility for their words: they say, To our tongues we give might, _i.e._ free rein. Psalms 12:5. Yahweh declares His intention of rising in defence of the poor and needy. Here the author quotes (unless the identity of the words be mere coincidence) Isaiah 33:10. He relies on a Divine promise there given, to which he now (Psalms 12:5_ b_) appeals. Well may he rely on the

THEY SPEAK. Man's words contrasted with Jehovah's words. Compare Psalms 12:6, and see Structure above. DOUBLE. deceitful. Hebrew "a heart and. heart". Compare 1 Chronicles 12:33....