Psalms 12:4

They say, ¹  “We speak persuasively; ²  we know how to flatter and boast. ³  Who is our master?” ⁴ 

that says, "We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips— who is our master?"

Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?"

They say, "We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own––who can stop us?"

I'm tired of hearing, "We can talk anyone into anything! Our lips manage the world."

They have said, With our tongues will we overcome; our lips are ours: who is lord over us?

those who say, "With our tongues we will prevail; our lips are our own—who is our master?"

Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is lord over us?"

They say, ¹  “We speak persuasively; ²  we know how to flatter and boast. ³  Who is our master?” ⁴ 

¹ tn Heb “which say.” The plural verb after the relative pronoun indicates a plural antecedent for the pronoun, probably “lips” in v. 3.

² tn Heb “to our tongue we make strong.” The Hiphil of גָבַר (gavar) occurs only here and in Dan 9:27, where it refers to making strong, or confirming, a covenant. Here in Ps 12 the evildoers “make their tongue strong” in the sense that they use their tongue to produce flattering and arrogant words to accomplish their purposes. The preposition -לְ (l) prefixed to “our tongue” may be dittographic.

³ tn Heb “our lips [are] with us.” This odd expression probably means, “our lips are in our power,” in the sense that they say what they want, whether it be flattery or boasting. For other cases where אֵת (’et, “with”) has the sense “in the power of,” see Ps 38:10 and other texts listed by BDB 86 s.v. 3.a.

⁴ sn The rhetorical question expresses the arrogant attitude of these people. As far as they are concerned, they are answerable to no one for how they speak.