For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride. For the cursing and lies that they utter,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about listing sins; it reveals how destructive words themselves become the very trap that ensnares the proud. Their "sin of their mouth" and "words of their lips" aren't just spoken; they are the tools of their downfall, leading them to be "taken in their pride."
For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride. For the cursing and lies that they utter,
English Standard Version (ESV)
David is calling for God's judgment on his enemies who have spoken deceitful and malicious words against him. He's detailing the sinful nature of their speech—their prideful boasting, their curses, and their lies—and asking God to ensnare them with their own wicked words and arrogance. The prayer culminates in a plea for God's righteous judgment to fall upon them, reflecting the gravity of their slanderous attacks.
Ever feel like words can cut deeper than any physical blow? The psalmist understood this all too well.
The Weight of Wicked Words
This verse zeros in on the sin of the mouth and the words of the lips. It’s not just about accidental slips of the tongue; it’s about intentional, harmful speech. These aren't mere opinions; they are acts of malice. The enemies David is praying against are using their words as weapons – to curse, to lie, and to slander.
Think about how words can ruin reputations, shatter trust, and inflict deep emotional wounds. The psalmist sees these spoken evils as directly linked to the downfall of those who utter them. What we say has tangible, destructive power, and God sees it.
Why does pride make someone so prone to cursing and lying? This verse connects them directly.
The Arrogance Behind the Abuse
The psalmist reveals that the destructive words aren't just random outbursts. They are deeply rooted in pride. The enemies are 'trapped in their pride.' This pride fuels their arrogance, making them feel superior and entitled to denigrate others.
When we are full of pride, we often become defensive and lash out. We might lie to protect our ego, curse those who challenge us, or spread false rumors to maintain a false sense of superiority. This verse shows that pride isn't just an internal feeling; it manifests outwardly in toxic speech. It’s the ultimate source of their harmful words, leading them into a snare of their own making.
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Understand the original words
chattath · Hebrew Noun
Any thought, word, or action that misses the mark of God's perfect standard or deviates from His law. It represents a state of alienation from God and a rebellious condition that corrupts human nature and relationships.
ga'own · Hebrew Noun
A state of arrogance, self-exaltation, and independence from God. Biblically, it is viewed as the root of all evil, as it places the creature above the Creator and leads to spiritual blindness and eventual ruin.
This psalm reflects a time of intense personal danger for David, as he was being hunted by King Saul. The 'cursing and lies' spoken of in this verse likely refer to the malicious accusations and deceitful words used by Saul and his agents to justify their pursuit and harm of David.
c. 1010 BC— this verse
Saul's Men Search for David
King Saul, fearing David, sent messengers to David's home to kill him. David's wife Michal helped him escape by tricking them, but Saul's hostility remained.
c. 1010 BC
David Flees to Samuel
After escaping Saul's assassins, David sought refuge with the prophet Samuel in Ramah. This period likely involved further threats and evasions from Saul.
c. 1000 BC
David Hides in Wilderness
David spent years evading Saul, often hiding in desolate areas like the wilderness of Ziph and Maon, facing constant danger and betrayal.
This verse highlights the immense power of words, directly connecting the 'tongue' (representing speech) to life and death, mirroring how Psalm 59:12 focuses on the destructive consequences of harmful speech.
Matthew 12:36-37Jesus directly addresses the accountability for every careless word spoken, echoing the sentiment in Psalm 59:12 that words, especially those filled with pride, cursing, and lies, carry significant spiritual weight and consequence.
James 3:5-6This passage vividly illustrates how the tongue, though small, can cause immense destruction and spread corruption, reinforcing the theme in Psalm 59:12 of how malicious words lead to downfall.
Psalm 10:7This Psalm speaks of the wicked's mouth being full of cursing and deceit, a concept that directly parallels the 'cursing and lying which they utter' in Psalm 59:12, showing a recurring theme of wicked speech in the Psalter.
pulpitPsalms 59:12: "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."
Verse 12. - For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips; rather, the sin of their mouth is each word of their lips (Hupfeld, Cheyne); or, O the sin of their mouth! O the word of their lips! (Ewald, Kay, Canon Cook). Let them even be taken in their pride. Saul's special emissaries (1 Samuel 19:11) would, of course, be proud of their…
gillPsalms 59:12: "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."
For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips,.... The words may be read as one proposition, "the words of their lips are the sin of their mouth" (y); they speak nothing but evil; whatever they say is sin; out of the abundance of their evil hearts their mouths speak: or "for the sin of their mouth" and lips; because of the calumnies…
This verse isn't just about listing sins; it reveals how destructive words themselves become the very trap that ensnares the proud. Their "sin of their mouth" and "words of their lips" aren't just spoken; they are the tools of their downfall, leading them to be "taken in their pride."
David is calling for God's judgment on his enemies who have spoken deceitful and malicious words against him. He's detailing the sinful nature of their speech—their prideful boasting, their curses, and their lies—and asking God to ensnare them with their own wicked words and arrogance. The prayer culminates in a plea for God's righteous judgment to fall upon them, reflecting the gravity of their slanderous attacks.
David is calling for God's judgment on his enemies who have spoken deceitful and malicious words against him. He's detailing the sinful nature of their speech—their prideful boasting, their curses, and their lies—and asking God to ensnare them with their own wicked words and arrogance. The prayer culminates in a plea for God's righteous judgment to fall upon them, reflecting the gravity of their slanderous attacks.
"For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride. For the cursing and lies that they utter," — This verse isn't just about listing sins; it reveals how destructive words themselves become the very trap that ensnares the proud. Their "sin of their mouth" and "words of their lips" aren't just sp…
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Last reviewed October 2026