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Selected Verse: Psalms 59:12 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 59:12	Strong Concordance	For the sin [02403] of their mouth [06310] and the words [01697] of their lips [08193] let them even be taken [03920] in their pride [01347]: and for cursing [0423] and lying [03585] which they speak [05608].
	King James	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.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
let them even be . . . taken in their pride--while evincing it--that is, to be punished for their lies, &c.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

let them even be . . . taken in their pride--while evincing it--that is, to be punished for their lies, &c.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
For the sin of their mouth ... - That is, in belching out words of reproach and malice, Psa 59:7. Let them even be taken in their pride - In the very midst of their schemes, or while confidently relying on the success of their plans. Even while their hearts are elated, and they are sure of success, let them be arrested, and let their plans be foiled. And for cursing and lying which they speak - That is, on account of the false charges which they have brought against me, and of their bitter imprecations on me. The allusion is to the accusations brought against David, and which were believed by Saul, and which were the foundation of the efforts made by Saul to take his life.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Pride - For their proud and insolent speeches against thee. Lying - For their execrations and lying reports, which they have spread concerning me.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
For the sin of their mouth - This verse has puzzled all the commentators. If we take חטאת chattath for sin-offering instead of sin, we shall get a better sense. Some of Nehemiah's enemies made a profession of the Jewish religion. Tobiah and his son were allied by marriage to the Jews; for Eliashib the priest had married his grandson to the daughter of Sanballat; and this produced a connection with Tobiah, the fast friend of Sanballat. Besides this very priest had given Tobiah one of the great chambers in the house of the Lord, where formerly the meat-offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithe of the corn and wine and oil were kept; Neh 13:4, Neh 13:5, Neh 13:7-9. And there were children of Tobiah (probably the same family) who professed to be of the Levites, Nethinim, or children of Solomon's servants; but as they could not show their father's house and their seed, whether they were of Israel; these, and others which were children of the priests, were put out of the priesthood, and out of the sacred service, as polluted; as having sprung from intermarriages with heathens. See Ezr 2:59-62. Tobiah was expelled from the house of the Lord by Nehemiah, and all his household stuff thrown out of doors: Neh 13:7, Neh 13:8. And this was doubtless one ground of the enmity of Tobiah to Nehemiah; and in this verse of the Psalm he may allude particularly to his occupancy of the chamber of offerings, which offerings, instead of being given to the Levites, were consumed by Tobiah and his household. This may be fairly gathered from Neh 13:6, Neh 13:10, Neh 13:11. Here then we have the sin of their mouth; their eating the offerings that belonged to the Levites; so that the temple service was deserted, the Levites being obliged to go and till the ground in order to obtain the means of life. And if we take חטאת chattath for sin-offering, it may refer to promises of sacrifice and offering which Tobiah and his family made, but never performed. They ate instead of offering them; and here was the sin of their mouth, in connection with the words of their lips, and their cursing and lying which they spake, for which the psalmist calls upon the Lord to consume them, that they may not be, Psa 59:13.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

For the sin of their mouth - This verse has puzzled all the commentators. If we take חטאת chattath for sin-offering instead of sin, we shall get a better sense. Some of Nehemiah's enemies made a profession of the Jewish religion. Tobiah and his son were allied by marriage to the Jews; for Eliashib the priest had married his grandson to the daughter of Sanballat; and this produced a connection with Tobiah, the fast friend of Sanballat. Besides this very priest had given Tobiah one of the great chambers in the house of the Lord, where formerly the meat-offerings, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithe of the corn and wine and oil were kept; Neh 13:4, Neh 13:5, Neh 13:7-9. And there were children of Tobiah (probably the same family) who professed to be of the Levites, Nethinim, or children of Solomon's servants; but as they could not show their father's house and their seed, whether they were of Israel; these, and others which were children of the priests, were put out of the priesthood, and out of the sacred service, as polluted; as having sprung from intermarriages with heathens. See Ezr 2:59-62. Tobiah was expelled from the house of the Lord by Nehemiah, and all his household stuff thrown out of doors: Neh 13:7, Neh 13:8. And this was doubtless one ground of the enmity of Tobiah to Nehemiah; and in this verse of the Psalm he may allude particularly to his occupancy of the chamber of offerings, which offerings, instead of being given to the Levites, were consumed by Tobiah and his household. This may be fairly gathered from Neh 13:6, Neh 13:10, Neh 13:11. Here then we have the sin of their mouth; their eating the offerings that belonged to the Levites; so that the temple service was deserted, the Levites being obliged to go and till the ground in order to obtain the means of life. And if we take חטאת chattath for sin-offering, it may refer to promises of sacrifice and offering which Tobiah and his family made, but never performed. They ate instead of offering them; and here was the sin of their mouth, in connection with the words of their lips, and their cursing and lying which they spake, for which the psalmist calls upon the Lord to consume them, that they may not be, Psa 59:13.

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⁷ Behold, they belch out [05042] with their mouth [06310]: swords [02719] are in their lips [08193]: for who, say they, doth hear [08085]?

¹³ Consume [03615] them in wrath [02534], consume [03615] them, that they may not be: and let them know [03045] that God [0430] ruleth [04910] in Jacob [03290] unto the ends [0657] of the earth [0776]. Selah [05542].

¹¹ Then contended [07378] I with the rulers [05461], and said [0559], Why is the house [01004] of God [0430] forsaken [05800]? And I gathered them together [06908], and set [05975] them in their place [05977].

¹⁰ And I perceived [03045] that the portions [04521] of the Levites [03881] had not been given [05414] them: for the Levites [03881] and the singers [07891], that did [06213] the work [04399], were fled [01272] every one [0376] to his field [07704].

⁶ But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem [03389]: for in the two [08147] and thirtieth [07970] year [08141] of Artaxerxes [0783] king [04428] of Babylon [0894] came [0935] I unto the king [04428], and after [07093] certain days [03117] obtained I leave [07592] of the king [04428]:

⁸ And it grieved [03415] me sore [03966]: therefore I cast forth [07993] all the household [01004] stuff [03627] of Tobiah [02900] out of [02351] the chamber [03957].

⁵⁹ And these were they which went up [05927] from Telmelah [08528], Telharsa [08521], Cherub [03743], Addan [0135], and Immer [0564]: but they could [03201] not shew [05046] their father's [01] house [01004], and their seed [02233], whether they were of Israel [03478]:
⁶⁰ The children [01121] of Delaiah [01806], the children [01121] of Tobiah [02900], the children [01121] of Nekoda [05353], six [08337] hundred [03967] fifty [02572] and two [08147].
⁶¹ And of the children [01121] of the priests [03548]: the children [01121] of Habaiah [02252], the children [01121] of Koz [06976], the children [01121] of Barzillai [01271]; which took [03947] a wife [0802] of the daughters [01323] of Barzillai [01271] the Gileadite [01569], and was called [07121] after their name [08034]:
⁶² These sought [01245] their register [03791] among those that were reckoned by genealogy [03187], but they were not found [04672]: therefore were they, as polluted [01351], put from the priesthood [03550].

⁷ And I came [0935] to Jerusalem [03389], and understood [0995] of the evil [07451] that Eliashib [0475] did [06213] for Tobiah [02900], in preparing [06213] him a chamber [05393] in the courts [02691] of the house [01004] of God [0430].
⁸ And it grieved [03415] me sore [03966]: therefore I cast forth [07993] all the household [01004] stuff [03627] of Tobiah [02900] out of [02351] the chamber [03957].
⁹ Then I commanded [0559], and they cleansed [02891] the chambers [03957]: and thither brought I again [07725] the vessels [03627] of the house [01004] of God [0430], with the meat offering [04503] and the frankincense [03828].

⁵ And he had prepared [06213] for him a great [01419] chamber [03957], where aforetime [06440] they laid [05414] the meat offerings [04503], the frankincense [03828], and the vessels [03627], and the tithes [04643] of the corn [01715], the new wine [08492], and the oil [03323], which was commanded [04687] to be given to the Levites [03881], and the singers [07891], and the porters [07778]; and the offerings [08641] of the priests [03548].

⁴ And before [06440] this, Eliashib [0475] the priest [03548], having the oversight [05414] of the chamber [03957] of the house [01004] of our God [0430], was allied [07138] unto Tobiah [02900]: