Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?” New Living Translation They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?” English Standard Version those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?” Berean Standard Bible They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?” King James Bible Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? New King James Version Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is lord over us?” New American Standard Bible Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?” NASB 1995 Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?” NASB 1977 Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?” Legacy Standard Bible Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?” Amplified Bible Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord and master over us?” Christian Standard Bible They say, “Through our tongues we have power; our lips are our own—who can be our master? ” Holman Christian Standard Bible They say, “Through our tongues we have power; our lips are our own—who can be our master?"” American Standard Version Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; Our lips are our own: who is lord over us? Contemporary English Version They say to themselves, "We are great speakers. No one else has a chance." English Revised Version Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? GOD'S WORD® Translation that has said, "We will overcome with our tongues. With lips such as ours, who can be our master?" Good News Translation "With our words we get what we want. We will say what we wish, and no one can stop us." International Standard Version those who say, "By our tongues we will prevail; our lips belong to us. Who is master over us?" Majority Standard Bible They say, ?With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips?who can be our master?? NET Bible They say, "We speak persuasively; we know how to flatter and boast. Who is our master?" New Heart English Bible who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?" Webster's Bible Translation Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? World English Bible who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionWho said, “By our tongue we do mightily: Our lips [are] our own; who [is] lord over us?” Young's Literal Translation Who said, 'By our tongue we do mightily: Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?' Smith's Literal Translation Who said, By our tongues we shall prevail; our lips are with us: who is Lord over us? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWho have said: We will magnify our tongue; our lips are our own; who is Lord over us? Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible Those who say, “By our tongues we prevail; when our lips speak, who can lord it over us?” New Revised Standard Version those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail; our lips are our own—who is our master?” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor they have said, With our tongue will we prevail: our lips are our own; who is lord over us? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Who have said, "Our tongue will prevail; our lips are our Lord.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Who have said: 'Our tongue will we make mighty; Our lips are with us: who is lord over us?' Brenton Septuagint Translation who have said, We will magnify our tongue; our lips are our own: who is Lord of us? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Godly are No More…3May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue. 4They 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.”… Cross References James 3:5-6 In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. / The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. Proverbs 18:21 Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Matthew 12:36-37 But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. / For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Romans 3:13-14 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.” / “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. Isaiah 3:8 For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because they spoke and acted against the LORD, defying His glorious presence. Jeremiah 9:3 “They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD. 1 Peter 3:10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. Matthew 15:11 A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.” Proverbs 12:18 Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Isaiah 28:15 For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.” Jeremiah 7:8 But look, you keep trusting in deceptive words to no avail. 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. Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress. Treasury of Scripture Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? With Jeremiah 18:18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. James 3:5,6 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! … our own. Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. Job 21:14,15 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways… Jump to Previous Lips Master Mightily Mighty Ours Overcome Prevail Tongue Tongues TriumphJump to Next Lips Master Mightily Mighty Ours Overcome Prevail Tongue Tongues TriumphPsalm 12 1. David, destitute of human comfort, craves help of God3. He comforts himself with God's promises, and his judgments on the wicked They say, This phrase introduces the voice of the wicked, highlighting their arrogance and self-confidence. In the context of Psalm 12, the psalmist is lamenting the prevalence of deceit and falsehood in society. The "they" refers to those who are corrupt and boastful, contrasting with the faithful who are oppressed. This sets the stage for understanding the moral and spiritual decay that the psalmist observes. “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips— who can be our master?” Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidTraditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 12, David is expressing concern over the deceitful and boastful speech of the wicked. 2. The Wicked The individuals who are speaking arrogantly and deceitfully, believing they are accountable to no one. 3. God Implicit in the text as the ultimate judge and master, contrasting the wicked's claim of self-mastery. 4. Israel The broader community affected by the deceit and arrogance of the wicked, often the context for David's psalms. 5. The Righteous Those who are oppressed or troubled by the deceitful words of the wicked, seeking God's intervention. Teaching Points The Power of WordsWords have the power to build up or destroy. As believers, we must be mindful of our speech, recognizing its potential impact. Accountability to God Despite the wicked's claim of self-mastery, all are ultimately accountable to God. We should live with the awareness that our words and actions are subject to His judgment. The Illusion of Self-Sufficiency The wicked believe they are their own masters, but this is an illusion. True freedom and mastery come from submission to God. Guarding Our Speech As followers of Christ, we are called to guard our tongues and speak truthfully, reflecting God's character in our communication. Seeking God's Intervention In times of deceit and arrogance around us, we should turn to God for justice and protection, trusting in His sovereignty.(4) With our tongue.--This is the proud saying just mentioned, and is plainly a boast of the power possessed by those who have the ear of persons in authority, and can adroitly "make the worse appear the better cause"; or being themselves in high places, can, like Angelo in Measure for Measure, defy the accusations of their victims:-- "Who will believe thee, Isabel? My place in the State Will so your accusation overweigh That you shall stifle in your own report, And smell of calumny." But there is great difference of opinion as to the proper rendering, "with our tongues will we prevail." Some render, "we are masters of our tongues"; others, "with our tongues we confederate": i.e., "our tongues are our allies." The last rendering agrees best with the next clause. Our lips are our own.--Literally, are with us: i.e., on our side. (Comp. 2Kings 9:32.) Verse 4. - Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; or, through our tongues are we powerful; i.e. whatever we desire we can accomplish through our tongues - by persuasion, or by menaces, or by skill in argument. Success in pleading before courts of law is, perhaps, included. Our lips are our own; literally, are with us; i.e. are on our side, are our helpers ("Nobis auxilio et praesto sunt," Michaelis). Who is lord over us? Who, i.e., can interfere with us and impede our action? They do not believe in any righteous Judge and Controller of the world, who can step in to frustrate their plans, upset their designs, and bring them to ruin (see Psalm 10:4, 11; Psalm 14:1).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Theyאֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that say, אָֽמְר֨וּ ׀ (’ā·mə·rū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 559: To utter, say “With our tongues לִלְשֹׁנֵ֣נוּ (lil·šō·nê·nū) Preposition-l | Noun - common singular construct | first person common plural Strong's 3956: The tongue we will prevail. נַ֭גְבִּיר (naḡ·bîr) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common plural Strong's 1396: To be strong, to prevail, act insolently We own אִתָּ֑נוּ (’it·tā·nū) Direct object marker | first person common plural Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case our lips— שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ (śə·p̄ā·ṯê·nū) Noun - fdc | first person common plural Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin who מִ֖י (mî) Interrogative Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix can be our master?” אָד֣וֹן (’ā·ḏō·wn) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller Links Psalm 12:4 NIVPsalm 12:4 NLT Psalm 12:4 ESV Psalm 12:4 NASB Psalm 12:4 KJV Psalm 12:4 BibleApps.com Psalm 12:4 Biblia Paralela Psalm 12:4 Chinese Bible Psalm 12:4 French Bible Psalm 12:4 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 12:4 Who have said With our tongue we (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
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