Psalms 59:12

KJV

[For] the sin of their mouth [and] the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying [which] they speak.

KJV (with Strong's)

For the sin {H2403} of their mouth {H6310} and the words {H1697} of their lips {H8193} let them even be taken {H3920}{H8735)} in their pride {H1347}: and for cursing {H423} and lying {H3585} which they speak {H5608}{H8762)}.

Complete Jewish Bible

for the sins their mouths make with each word from their lips. Let them be trapped by their pride for the curses and falsehoods they utter.

Berean Standard Bible

By the sins of their mouths and the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride, in the curses and lies they utter.

American Standard Version

Forthe sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, Let them even be taken in their pride, And for cursing and lying which they speak.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 59:12 is a fervent plea from David to God for divine justice against his malicious enemies. It expresses a desire for their downfall to be directly linked to their verbal transgressions—their "sin of their mouth" and "words of their lips," specifically "cursing and lying"—and their inherent "pride." The psalmist petitions that their own arrogant and deceitful speech would become the very snare that entraps them, demonstrating God's active role in upholding righteousness and bringing retribution upon the wicked.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalms 59 is a "Michtam of David," a psalm of distress and prayer for deliverance, echoing the themes of persecution and divine protection found elsewhere in the Psalter (e.g., [Psalms 7](/psalms/7 "Psalm 7 - A Prayer for Justice") or [Psalms 35](/psalms/35 "Psalm 35 - A Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies")). Immediately preceding verse 12, David describes his enemies as bloodthirsty men who "lie in wait for my life" ([Psalms 59:3](/psalms/59-3 "Psalm 59:3 - Enemies Lie in Wait")), comparing them to growling dogs who "go about the city" ([Psalms 59:6](/psalms/59-6 "Psalm 59:6 - Enemies Prowl Like Dogs")). This sets the stage for his specific petition in verse 12, where he targets their verbal attacks as a primary offense, praying that their own wicked words and pride would be their undoing, a direct contrast to his trust in God's power and steadfast love, which he celebrates later in the psalm ([Psalms 59:16-17](/psalms/59-16 "Psalm 59:16-17 - David's Trust in God")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The superscription of Psalms 59, "when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him," places this psalm within a specific, desperate period of David's life, as recounted in [1 Samuel 19:11-17](/1_samuel/19-11 "1 Samuel 19:11-17 - Saul Seeks to Kill David"). King Saul, consumed by jealousy and paranoia, repeatedly sought to kill David. This particular incident involved Saul's messengers surrounding David's house to ambush him, from which David narrowly escaped with the help of his wife, Michal. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a king's word carried immense authority and could be a matter of life or death. False accusations, slander, and curses were not merely social offenses but could have severe, even lethal, consequences, undermining one's reputation, standing, and safety. David's plea reflects the cultural understanding that words could be weapons, and thus, divine justice was sought against those who wielded them maliciously.
* **Key Themes:** Psalms 59:12 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the Psalter and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the **destructive power of the tongue** and the moral accountability for speech, a theme echoed in wisdom literature like [Proverbs 18:21](/proverbs/18-21 "Proverbs 18:21 - Power of Life and Death in the Tongue"). Secondly, it underscores the **danger and ultimate downfall of pride**, a recurring motif throughout Scripture where arrogance precedes destruction ([Proverbs 16:18](/proverbs/16-18 "Proverbs 16:18 - Pride Goes Before Destruction")). David prays that the very hubris of his enemies would become their snare. Thirdly, the verse is a powerful expression of **divine justice and retribution**, demonstrating David's unwavering trust that God is a righteous judge who will not allow wickedness to go unpunished, even when human justice fails ([Psalms 7:11](/psalms/7-11 "Psalm 7:11 - God is a Righteous Judge")). This trust in God's sovereignty over human affairs provides comfort and hope amidst intense persecution.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Mouth (Hebrew, _peh'_):** Refers to the physical organ, but in this context, it functions as a metonymy for speech itself. The "sin of their mouth" emphasizes that the very origin and instrument of their communication are corrupted, indicating a deep-seated moral failing that manifests in their words.
* **Pride (Hebrew, _ga'on'_):** This word carries a dual connotation, referring to majesty or excellence, but more often in a negative sense, to arrogance, haughtiness, or insolence. In Psalms 59:12, it specifically denotes the boastful and self-assured attitude of David's enemies, their overconfidence in their own power and schemes, which David prays will become the very instrument of their downfall. It is the antithesis of humility before God.
* **Taken (Hebrew, _lakad'_):** This verb means "to catch," "to seize," or "to ensnare." The passive voice "let them even be taken" implies that they will be caught by an external force or, more poetically, by the natural consequences of their own actions. It suggests being trapped, often in a net or snare, highlighting the inescapable nature of the judgment David seeks.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips":** This phrase directly identifies the primary offense. It emphasizes that the enemies' verbal expressions are not merely careless but are morally culpable "sin." The parallelism between "mouth" and "lips" reinforces the focus on their speech as the source of their wickedness. This is not just about isolated utterances but a pattern of sinful communication.
* **"let them even be taken in their pride":** This is the core petition for divine retribution. David prays that their own arrogance and self-exaltation—their "pride"—would become the very trap that ensnares them. It suggests a form of poetic justice where their overconfidence leads directly to their downfall, rather than an external force. Their pride blinds them to the consequences of their actions and makes them vulnerable.
* **"and for cursing and lying which they speak":** This clause specifies the nature of the "sin of their mouth" and "words of their lips." "Cursing" (Hebrew _'alah'_) implies imprecations or oaths, often malicious, while "lying" (Hebrew _kazab'_) refers to deceit and falsehood. These are concrete examples of the verbal wickedness David is enduring, highlighting the deliberate and destructive nature of their communication against him.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful **literary devices**. **Parallelism** is evident in "sin of their mouth" and "words of their lips," where two phrases convey a similar idea, intensifying the focus on the enemies' verbal transgressions. This is further reinforced by the specific examples of "cursing and lying." **Metonymy** is present where "mouth" and "lips" stand in for the speech itself, emphasizing the physical origin of the sinful words. The phrase "taken in their pride" functions as a form of **poetic justice** or **irony**, where the very characteristic (pride) that makes the enemies feel invincible becomes the instrument of their undoing. This also suggests **personification** of pride as a snare or trap. The entire verse is an **imprecation**, a prayer for judgment against enemies, a common feature in the Psalms, reflecting a strong belief in God's active role in divine justice.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 59:12 powerfully articulates the biblical understanding that words are not neutral; they carry moral weight and have tangible consequences, both in human relationships and before God. David's plea for his enemies to be ensnared by their own pride and malicious speech aligns with the broader biblical principle that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and that those who sow wickedness will reap its bitter fruit. This verse underscores the divine commitment to justice, assuring believers that even when human systems fail, God sees and will ultimately judge all unrighteousness, particularly the insidious sins of the tongue and the destructive nature of pride.

* [Proverbs 16:18](/proverbs/16-18 "Proverbs 16:18 - Pride Goes Before Destruction")
* [Matthew 12:36-37](/matthew/12-36 "Matthew 12:36-37 - Accountability for Every Careless Word")
* [James 3:5-6](/james/3-5 "James 3:5-6 - The Destructive Power of the Tongue")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
David's prayer in Psalms 59:12 serves as a profound reminder of the gravity of our words and the insidious nature of pride. In a world often characterized by careless speech, slander, and self-exaltation, this verse calls us to a higher standard of verbal integrity and humility. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and mouths, recognizing that our words are not merely sounds but expressions of our inner being, capable of building up or tearing down, blessing or cursing. When we face malicious attacks or injustice, David's example teaches us not to retaliate in kind, but to entrust our cause to the righteous Judge, God Himself. This allows us to release the burden of vengeance and cultivate a spirit of forgiveness, while still trusting that God will ultimately set all things right in His perfect timing and according to His perfect justice.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How often do I consider the moral weight and potential consequences of my own words before I speak?**
* **In what ways might pride manifest in my own life, and how could it potentially lead to my downfall or hinder my spiritual growth?**
* **When I feel wronged or slandered, how can I better emulate David's trust in God's justice rather than seeking personal retribution?**

### FAQ

**Does this psalm encourage us to pray for harm to our enemies?**

Answer: Psalms 59:12, like other imprecatory psalms, expresses a desire for God's justice to be enacted upon those who are actively seeking to harm the psalmist. It's crucial to understand these prayers within their historical and theological context. They are not expressions of personal vengeance but appeals to God, the righteous Judge, to uphold His justice in a world where wickedness often seems to triumph. David is entrusting the judgment to God, not taking it into his own hands. While the New Testament calls believers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them ([Matthew 5:44](/matthew/5-44 "Matthew 5:44 - Love Your Enemies")), these Old Testament prayers reflect a deep yearning for God's righteousness to prevail and for His name to be vindicated, demonstrating a profound trust in God's sovereignty and justice, rather than a call for personal retaliation ([Romans 12:19](/romans/12-19 "Romans 12:19 - Leave Vengeance to God")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 59:12, with its focus on the sin of the mouth, pride, and divine justice, finds its ultimate fulfillment and transformation in Jesus Christ. While David prayed for his enemies to be "taken in their pride" and for their "cursing and lying" to lead to their downfall, Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, faced the ultimate verbal abuse, false accusations, and prideful rejection from those who sought His life ([Matthew 26:59-60](/matthew/26-59 "Matthew 26:59-60 - False Witnesses Against Jesus")). Yet, instead of praying for their immediate destruction, He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" ([Luke 23:34](/luke/23-34 "Luke 23:34 - Jesus' Prayer on the Cross")). Jesus perfectly embodied the humility that stands in stark contrast to the "pride" condemned in the psalm, willingly humbling Himself even to death on a cross ([Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Christ's Humility")). He is the one through whom God's ultimate justice is revealed, not merely in punishing the wicked, but in offering salvation to all who believe, even those who once spoke against Him. His sacrifice on the cross addresses the "sin of their mouth" for all humanity, offering redemption from the very sins that David lamented, and demonstrating God's perfect justice and boundless mercy in a way that transcends the imprecatory prayers of the Old Testament.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Proverbs 12:13

¶ The wicked is snared by the transgression of [his] lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

Proverbs 18:7

A fool's mouth [is] his destruction, and his lips [are] the snare of his soul.

Psalms 10:7

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue [is] mischief and vanity.

Hosea 4:2

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

Matthew 12:36

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Matthew 12:37

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Psalms 120:3

What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?