Psalms 12:2

People lie to one another; ¹  they flatter and deceive. ² 

Everyone lies to his neighbour; their flattering lips speak with deception.

They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.

Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and insincere hearts.

Everyone talks in lie language; Lies slide off their oily lips. They doubletalk with forked tongues.

Everyone says false words to his neighbour: their tongues are smooth in their talk, and their hearts are full of deceit.

They utter lies to each other; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

People lie to one another; ¹  they flatter and deceive. ² 

¹ tn Heb “falsehood they speak, a man with his neighbor.” The imperfect verb forms in v. 2 describe what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.

² tn Heb “[with] a lip of smoothness, with a heart and a heart they speak.” Speaking a “smooth” word refers to deceptive flattery (cf. Ps 5:9; 55:21; Prov 2:16; 5:3; 7:5, 21; 26:28; 28:23; Isa 30:10). “Heart” here refers to their mind, from which their motives and intentions originate. The repetition of the noun indicates diversity (see GKC 396 §123.f, IBHS 116 §7.2.3c, and Deut 25:13, where the phrase “weight and a weight” refers to two different measuring weights). These people have two different types of “hearts.” Their flattering words seem to express kind motives and intentions, but this outward display does not really reflect their true motives. Their real “heart” is filled with evil thoughts and destructive intentions. The “heart” that is seemingly displayed through their words is far different from the real “heart” they keep disguised. (For the idea see Ps 28:3.) In 1 Chr 12:33 the phrase “without a heart and a heart” means “undivided loyalty.”