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Psalm 12:2
Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
1For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men.
2Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
3May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts,
4who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?”
Notice
Flattering lips make deceit sound warm, and David’s lament names the strain of living among neighbors whose words and hearts do not agree.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
Where have flattering words made it hard for you to know whom to trust?
Write on thisWhat would it look like for your words to a neighbor to match your heart?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Proverbs 23:7for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.Both passages expose a gap between welcoming words and the heart of the person speaking.
Matthew 15:11That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”Both passages treat speech as a matter of moral weight: David names deceit, and Jesus says what leaves the mouth can defile.
Romans 16:18For those who are such don’t serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the …Flattering speech serves deception in both passages, making pleasant words a poor measure of someone’s intent.
Psalm 28:3Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.Both psalms describe people whose speech toward their neighbors conceals what is in their hearts.
Jeremiah 12:6For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you! Even they have cried aloud after you! Don’t believe them, …Both passages describe betrayal beneath pleasing speech, whether among neighbors or within a person’s own family.
Jeremiah 9:8Their tongue is a deadly arrow. It speaks deceit. One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart, he waits to ambush him.Both passages expose deceit toward a neighbor through the contrast between the mouth’s words and the heart’s intent.
Psalm 41:6If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it.False speech and a corrupt heart appear together in both psalms, bringing deceit into personal encounters.
Proverbs 26:25When his speech is charming, don’t believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.Both passages show that charming speech can conceal a heart at odds with the words being spoken.
Psalm 10:7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.Both psalms name deceit as a wrong committed through speech, with the mouth and tongue serving falsehood.
Psalm 144:8whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.Both psalms describe people whose mouths speak deceit, making falsehood a shared concern in their prayers.
Isaiah 58:9Then you will call, and the LORD will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from among you the yoke, finger pointing, …Both passages identify harmful speech as a wrong among people, though Isaiah also names oppression and finger pointing.
Daniel 11:27As for both these kings, their hearts will be to do evil, and they will speak lies at one table; but it won’t prosper, for the end will still be at the …Both passages join lying speech with dishonest hearts, whether between neighbors or between kings sharing a table.
Where this verse fits
Broken friendship. work conflict. injustice and anger.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
When kind words conceal deceit, trust suffers. David brings that breach before YHWH; even the tongue that claims its own rule stands under God’s authority.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).