PSALM 12 COMME�TARYWritten and edited by Glenn Pease

PREFACE

My goal has been to collect the comments of those who add to our understanding of the Psalms.These comments are available to everyone, but I have brought them together in one place to savethe Bible student time in research. There is a great deal more, but this gives a good foundation tobuild on. If I quote anyone who does not wish to be quoted in this study they can let me know andI will remove their wisdom. My e-mail is glenn_p86@yahoo.com

I�TRODUCTIO�

1. Spurgeon, “In Psalms 12:1-2 David spreads his complaint before the Lord concerning thetreachery of his age; Psalms 12:3-4 denounce judgments upon proud traitors; in Psalms 12:5,Jehovah himself thunders out his wrath against oppressors; hearing this, the Chief Musiciansings sweetly of the faithfulness of God and his care of his people, in Psalms 12:6-7; but closes onthe old key of lament in verse 8, as he observes the abounding wickedness of his times. Those holysouls who dwell in Mesech, and sojourn in the tents of Kedar, may read and sing these sacredstanzas with hearts in full accord with their mingled melody of lowly mourning and loftyconfidence.”

2. Dave Hatcher, “The psalm-singer laments over the state of his contemporary culture and civicrealm. The kinds of words spoken by men have deteriorated so that vileness is the normal speech,lying is expected, and flattery is required to get you a place at the table of influence. However,God is the Word, speaking all that is into existence and redeeming a people to Himself. Men’swords employed by deceitful men are a perversion of words as given to us by God forcommunication, worship, dominion, service, persuasion, enlightenment and revelation. This iswhy the psalm-singer’s chorus is that God would cut out the lips and tongues of such violators.This is why the psalm-singer’s refrain is that God would rise up and see His Word vindicated inthis generation.”

TITLE For the director of music. According to sheminith. Apsalm of David.

1. Spurgeon, “This Psalm is headed "To the Chief Musician upon Sheminith, a Psalm of David,"

which title is identical with that of the sixth Psalm, except that �eginoth is here omitted. We havenothing new to add, and therefore refer the reader to our remarks on the dedication of Psalms6:1-10. As Sheminith signifies the eighth, the Arabic version says it is concerning the end of theworld, which shall be the eighth day, and refers it to the coming of the Messiah: withoutaccepting so fanciful an interpretation, we may read this song of complaining faith in the light ofHis coming who shall break in pieces the oppressor. The subject will be the better before themind's eye if we entitle this Psalm: "GOOD THOUGHTS I� BAD TIMES." It is supposed tohave been written while Saul was persecuting David, and those who favored his cause.”

1 Help, LORD, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.

1. This is about as short as prayer can be, but it can be just as effective as a long Puritan halfhour prayer. Peter singing in the water had no time for a long prayer, and so he cried for help,and he got his answer just as fast as Jesus reached out to save him. Short prayers are the rule,and long prayers the exception in the Bible. Here we get a glimpse into the mind of the pessimist.He always tends to exaggerate the negative. It was doubtless a bad time, but when is it not? He ismuch in the same mind as Elijah who reported to God that he was the only one left, and God hadto reveal to him that there were seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Like Elijah,David was feeling all alone and isolated, and this leads to pessimism. God is never without hisfaithful witness somewhere, but David is saying that is no longer true, for no one is faithfulanymore, and the loyal have vanished completely. You don't get any more alone than this. Bewareof making excessive negative judgments when you are discouraged and alone, for such pessimismjust makes you feel worse.

In 2000 B. C. an Egyptian author wrote this poem called “The Dispute With His Soul of One WhoIs Tired of Life.” This was a thousand years before David wrote this poem. It just shows thatpessimism was not born with David. Many before and many after him have felt it was an age ofmoral chaos, and nobody cared for anybody.

To whom do I speak today?Brothers are evil.Friends of today, they are not lovable.Gentleness hath perished.Insolence hath come to all men.There are none that are righteous.The earth is given over to the workers of iniquity.Death is before me today,As the odors of myrrh.

1B. Jamison, “The Psalmist laments the decrease of good men. The pride and deceit of the wickedprovokes God’s wrath, whose promise to avenge the cause of pious sufferers will be verified evenamidst prevailing iniquity.”

1C. Spurgeon, “The prayer itself is remarkable, for it is short, but seasonable, sententious, andsuggestive. David mourned the fewness of faithful men, and therefore lifted up his heart insupplication—when the creature failed, he flew to the Creator. He evidently felt his ownweakness, or he would not have cried for help; but at the same time he intended honestly to exerthimself for the cause of truth, for the word “help” is inapplicable where we ourselves do nothing.There is much of directness, clearness of perception, and distinctness of utterance in this petitionof two words; much more, indeed, than in the long rambling outpourings of certain professors.The Psalmist runs straight-forward to his God, with a well-considered prayer; he knows what heis seeking, and where to seek it. Lord, teach us to pray in the same blessed manner.

The occasions for the use of this prayer are frequent. In providential afflictions how suitable it isfor tried believers who find all helpers failing them. Students, in doctrinal difficulties, may oftenobtain aid by lifting up this cry of “Help, Lord,” to the Holy Spirit, the great Teacher. Spiritualwarriors in inward conflicts may send to the throne for reinforcements, and this will be a modelfor their request. Workers in heavenly labour may thus obtain grace in time of need. Seekingsinners, in doubts and alarms, may offer up the same weighty supplication; in fact, in all thesecases, times, and places, this will serve the turn of needy souls. “Help, Lord,” will suit us livingand dying, suffering or labouring, rejoicing or sorrowing. In him our help is found, let us not beslack to cry to him.

The answer to the prayer is certain, if it be sincerely offered through Jesus. The Lord’s characterassures us that he will not leave his people; his relationship as Father and Husband guarantee ushis aid; his gift of Jesus is a pledge of every good thing; and his sure promise stands, “Fear not, Iwill help thee.”

2. Barnes, “Help, Lord - Hebrew, “Save, Yahweh.” The idea is that there was no human help,and, therefore, the divine help is implored. The psalmist saw that those on whom reliance wasusually placed for the promotion of the cause of truth and virtue now failed, and hence, he invitesthe divine interposition.

For the godly man - The word used here properly denotes the “merciful” man - חסיד châsı̂yd. Itis a term applied to the righteous, because it is a prominent trait in the character of a pious manthat he is merciful, kind, benignant. Hence, the general character is often denoted by the specialcharacteristic; in the same way as we speak of a pious man as a good man, a just man, arighteous man. The idea suggested by the use of the term here is, that it is always a characteristicof a pious man that he is merciful or benignant. Compare Psa_4:3; Psa_32:6, where the sameword is rendered “godly;” Psa_30:4; Psa_31:23; Psa_37:28; Psa_50:5; Psa_52:9; Psa_79:2;Psa_85:8, where it is rendered saints; and Deu_33:8; Psa_16:10; Psa_86:2; Psa_89:19, where it isrendered “holy.” “Ceaseth.” The word used here - גמר gâmar - means properly to bring to anend; to complete; to perfect. Hence, it means to come to an end, to cease, to fail.

Gesenius. - This might occur either by their being cut off by death; or by their ceasing to exerttheir influence in favor of religion; that is, by a general prevalence of wickedness among thosewho professed to be the friends of God. The latter seems to be the meaning here, since, in thefollowing verses, the psalmist proceeds to specify the manner in which they “fail;” not by death,but by speaking vanity, falsehood, and flattery. That is, their conduct was such that theirinfluence failed, or was lost to the community. �o reliance could be placed on them, and,therefore, the psalmist so earnestly calls on God for his interposition. The idea is, that when menprofessing religion become conformed to the world - when they live like other men - when they

cease to exert an influence in favor of piety - when they fall into habits of sin, it is a time to call onGod with special earnestness for his aid. Often such conduct on the part of the professed friendsof religion makes such an appeal to God more proper than even the death of good men does, for,in the latter case, their influence is simply withdrawn; in the former, not only is this influencewhich they might exert lost to the church, but there is a positive bad influence to be counteracted.The fall of a professor of religion into sin is a greater loss to the church than his death would be.

For the faithful - Those who profess faith; those who are bound by their vows to be faithful toGod and to his cause. The word is equivalent to the believing, and is properly expressive of trustor faith in God.

Fail from among the children of men - Fail, as above noted, by their misconduct; by being falseto the trust committed to them.”

3. Clarke, “Save me, O Lord; for merciful men fail, and faithful men have passed away from thesons of Adam.”

4. Gill, “Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth,.... A godly man, according to the notation of theword (z), is one that has received grace and mercy of the Lord; as pardoning mercy, justifyingand adopting grace; and who has principles of grace, goodness, and holiness, wrought in him;who fears the Lord, and serves him acceptably, with reverence and godly fear, and sorrows forsin, after a godly sort; who loves the Lord, and hopes and believes in him; who is regenerated andsanctified by the Spirit of God, and is a true worshipper of God, and lives in all holy conversationand godliness; and, particularly, is "beneficent", "kind", and "merciful" (a) unto men: such maybe said to "cease" when there are but few of them; when their number is greatly reduced (b),either by death, or when such who have seemed, and have been thought to be so, prove otherwise:in a view of which, the psalmist prays for help and salvation; "help", or "save" (c) Lord;meaning himself, being destitute of the company, counsel, and assistance of good and graciousmen; or the cause and interest of religion, which he feared would sink by the ceasing of godlymen. When all friends and refuge fail, saints betake themselves to God, and their salvation is ofhim; and he is their present help in a time of trouble; and he saves and reserves for himself anumber in the worst of times; as he did in Elijah's time, who thought there was no godly man leftbut himself; see Rom_11:1;

for the faithful fail from among the children of men; so that there are none left among them butcarnal, unregenerate, ungodly, and unfaithful men. The "faithful" are such who are upright inheart and conversation; who trust in the Lord, and believe in the Messiah; who abide by thetruths and ordinances of God; and are faithful in what is committed to their trust, whether theybe gifts of nature, Providence, or grace; and to their fellow Christians, in advising, reproving, &c.when needful: these may fail in the exercise of grace, and in the discharge of duty, but not so as toperish eternally. The words design the paucity of them, and the sad degeneracy of the times towhich they refer: and they may belong either to the times of David, when Saul's courtiersflattered him, and spoke evil of David; when the men of Keilah intended to have delivered himup; when the Ziphites discovered him to Saul, and invited him to come and take him; or whenAbsalom rose up in rebellion against him, and so many of the people fell off from him: or else tothe times of Christ; the people of the Jews in his age were a wicked and faithless generation; andeven among his own disciples there was great want of fidelity: one betrayed him, another deniedhim, and all forsook him and fled; after his death, some doubted his being the Redeemer, and oneof them could not believe he was risen from the dead, when he was. And these words may be

applied to the antichristian times, the times of the grand apostasy, and falling away from thefaith, upon the revealing of the man of sin; since which the holy city is trodden under foot; thewitnesses prophesy in sackcloth; and the church is in the wilderness, and is hid there. Yea, to thesecond coming of Christ, when there will be great carnality and security, and little faith found inthe earth. A like complaint with this see in Isa_57:1.

5. Henry, “This psalm furnishes us with good thoughts for bad times, in which, though theprudent will keep silent (Amo_5:13) because a man may then be made an offender for a word, yetwe may comfort ourselves with such suitable meditations and prayers as are here got ready toour hand.

I. Let us see here what it is that makes the times bad, and when they may be said to be so. Askthe children of this world what it is in their account that makes the times bad, and they will tellyou, Scarcity of money, decay of trade, and the desolations of war, make the times bad. But thescripture lays the badness of the times upon causes of another nature. 2Ti_3:1, Perilous times

shall come, for iniquity shall abound; and that is the thing David here complains of.

1. When there is a general decay of piety and honesty among men the times are then truly bad(Psa_12:1): When the godly man ceases and the faithful fail. Observe how these two characters arehere put together, the godly and the faithful. As there is no true policy, so there is no true piety,without honesty. Godly men are faithful men, fast men, so they have sometimes been called; theirword is as confirming as their oath, as binding as their bond; they make conscience of being trueboth to God and man. They are here said to cease and fail, either by death or by desertion, or byboth. Those that were godly and faithful were taken away, and those that were left had sadlydegenerated and were not what they had been; so that there were few or no good people thatwere Israelites indeed to be met with. Perhaps he meant that there were no godly faithful menamong Saul's courtiers; if he meant there were few or none in Israel, we hope he was under thesame mistake that Elijah was, who thought he only was left alone, when God had 7000 who kepttheir integrity (Rom_11:3); or he meant that there were few in comparison; there was a generaldecay of religion and virtue (and the times are bad, very bad, when it is so), not a man to befound that executes judgment, Jer_5:1.”

6. Spurgeon, “Help, Lord. A short but sweet, suggestive, seasonable, and serviceable prayer; akind of angel's sword, to be turned every way, and to be used on all occasions. Ainsworth says theword rendered "help," is largely used for all manner of saving, helping, delivering, preserving,etc. Thus it seems that the prayer is very full and instructive. The Psalmist sees the extremedanger of his position, for a man had better be among lions than among liars; he feels his owninability to deal with such sons of Belial, for "he who shall touch them must be fenced with iron;"he therefore turns himself to his all sufficient Helper, the Lord, whose help is never denied to hisservants, and whose aid is enough for all their needs. "Help, Lord," is a very useful ejaculationwhich we may dart up to heaven on occasions of emergency, whether in labour, learning,suffering, fighting, living, or dying. As small ships can sail into harbours which larger vessels,drawing more water, cannot enter, so our brief cries and short petitions may trade with heavenwhen our soul is wind bound, and business bound, as to longer exercises of devotion, and whenthe stream of grace seems at too low an ebb to float a more laborious supplication. For the godly man ceaseth; the death, departure, or decline of godly men should be a trumpet callfor more prayer. They say that fish smell first at the head, and when godly men decay, the wholecommonwealth will soon go rotten. We must not, however, be rash in our judgment on this point,for Elijah erred in counting himself the only servant of God alive, when there were thousands

whom the Lord held in reserve. The present times always appear to be peculiarly dangerous,because they are nearest to our anxious gaze, and whatever evils are rife are sure to be observed,while the faults of past ages are further off, and are more easily overlooked. Yet we expect that inthe latter days, "because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold," and then wemust the more thoroughly turn from man, and address ourselves to the Churches' Lord, bywhose help the gates of hell shall be kept from prevailing against us.

The faithful fail from among the children of men; when godliness goes, faithfulness inevitablyfollows; without fear of God, men have no love of truth. Common honesty is no longer common,when common irreligion leads to universal godlessness. David had his eye on Doeg, and the menof Ziph and Keilah, and perhaps remembered the murdered priests of �ob, and the manybanished ones who consorted with him in the cave of Adullam, and wondered where the statewould drift without the anchors of its godly and faithful men. David, amid the general misrule,did not betake himself to seditious plottings, but to solemn petitionings; nor did he join with themultitude to do evil, but took up the arms of prayer to withstand their attacks upon virtue.”

7. Treasury of David, “Verse 1. Help, Lord. It was high time to call to heaven for help, when Saulcried, "Go, kill me up the priests of Jehovah" (the occasion as it is thought of making this Psalm),and therein committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, as some grave divines are of opinion.1 Samuel 22:17 . David, after many sad thoughts about that slaughter, and the occasion of it,Doeg's malicious information, together with the paucity of his fast friends, and the multitude ofhis sworn enemies at court, breaks forth abruptly into these words, "Help, Lord," help at a deadlift. The Arabic version hath it, Deliver me by main force, as with weapons of war, for "the Lordis a man of war." Exodus 15:3. John Trapp. Verse 1. The faithful. "A faithful man", as a parent, a reprover, an adviser, one "without guile","who can find?" Proverbs 20:6. Look close. View thyself in the glass of the word. Does thyneighbour or thy friend, find thee faithful to him? What does our daily intercourse witness? Isnot the attempt to speak what is agreeable oft made at the expense of truth? Are not professionsof regard sometimes utterly inconsistent with our real feelings? In common life, where grossviolations are restrained, a thousand petty offences are allowed, that break down the wallbetween sin and duty, and, judged by the divine standard, are indeed guilty steps upon forbiddenground. Charles Bridges, 1850.

Verse 1. A faithful man must be, first of all, faithful to himself; then, he must be faithful to God;and then, he must be faithful to others, particularly the church of God. And this, as it regardsministers, is of peculiar importance. Joseph Irons, 1840.

Verse 1. Even as a careful mother, seeing her child in the way when a company of unruly horsesrun through the streets in full career, presently whips up her child in her arms and taketh himhome; or as the hen, seeing the ravenous kite over her head, clucks and gathers her chickensunder her wings; even so when God hath a purpose to bring a heavy calamity upon a land, it hathbeen usual with him to call and cull out to himself such as are his dearly beloved. He takes hischoice servants from the evil to come. Thus was Augustine removed a little before Hippo (whereinhe dwelt) was taken; Paroeus died before Heidelburg was sacked; and Luther was taken offbefore Germany was overrun with war and bloodshed. Ed. Dunsterville in a Sermon at theFuneral of Sir Sim. Harcourt, 1642.

Verse 1. Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth, etc: --

Back, then, complainer, loathe thy life no more,�or deem thyself upon a desert shore,

Because the rocks the nearer prospect close.Yet in fallen Israel are there hearts and eyes,That day by day in prayer like thine arise;Thou knowest them not, but their Creator known.Go, to the world return, nor fear to castThy bread upon the waters, sure at lastIn joy to find it after many days. John Keble, 1792-1866.

Verse 1-2,4. Consider our markets, our fairs, our private contracts and bargains, our shops, ourcellars, our weights, our measures, our promises, our protestations, our politic tricks andvillainous Machiavelism, our enhancing of the prices of all commodities, and tell, whether thetwelfth Psalm may not as fitly be applied to our times as to the days of the man of God; in whichthe feigning, and lying, and facing, and guile, and subtlety of men provoked the psalmist to cryout, Help, Lord; for there is not a godly man left: for the faithful are failed from among thechildren of men: they speak deceitfully every one with his neighbour, flattering with their lips,and speak with a double heart, which have said, With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are ourown: who is Lord over us? R. Wolcombe, 1612.”

2 Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts.

1. When you use the word everyone there is a good chance you are exaggerating, and David hasnot taken a survey and found that 100 percent of people have lied to their neighbor. He is justfeeling like nobody is trustworthy anymore. He has had those who were supposed to be hisfriends flatter him, as anyone does to a king, or others with high titles and positions. Everybody isa con man out to use words to flatter and deceive for their own benefit. He just feels bad becausehe knows that a lot of it is sham, and these who flatter will turn around and stab him in the back,as many did when his Son Absolom tried to take over the throne and have him killed.

1B. Wiersbe, “Our world is filled with flattery. Sometimes it's called advertising or promotion,but it's still flattery. God doesn't flatter people. He tells the truth. Flattery is manipulation, notcommunication. It comes from a double heart, from mixed motives. David said, "Unite my heartto fear Your name" (Ps. 86:11). Don't fall for flattery or flatter yourself into thinking you are theonly godly one left.”

2. Barnes, “They speak vanity - This is a statement of the “manner” in which the “godly” and the“faithful” fail, as stated in Psa_12:1. One of the ways was that there was a disregard of truth;that no confidence could be placed on the statements of those who professed to be pious; that theydealt falsely with their neighbors. The word “vanity” here is equivalent to “falsehood.” What

they spoke was a vain and empty thing, instead of being the truth. It had no reality, and could notbe depended on. Every one with his neighbour - In his statements and promises. �o reliancecould be placed on his word.

With flattering lips - Hebrew, “Lips of smoothness.” The verb from which the word used here isderived - חלק chālaq - means properly to divide, to distribute; then, to make things equal orsmooth; then, to make smooth or to shape, as an artisan does, as with a plane; and then, “to makethings smooth with the tongue,” that is, “to flatter.” See Psa_5:9; Pro_5:3; Pro_26:28; Pro_28:23;Pro_29:5. The meaning is, that no confidence could be placed in the statements made. There wasno certainty that they were founded on truth; none that they were not intended to deceive.Flattery is the ascribing of qualities to another which he is known not to possess - usually withsome sinister or base design.

And with a double heart - Margin, as in Hebrew, “a heart and a heart;” that is, as it were, withtwo hearts, one that gives utterance to the words, and the other that retains a different sentiment.Thus, in Deu_25:13, the phrase in Hebrew, “a stone and a stone” means, as it is translated,“divers weights” - one stone or weight to buy with, and another to sell with. So the flatterer. Hehas one heart to give utterance to the words which he uses toward his neighbor, and another thatconceals his real purpose or design. �o confidence, therefore, could be placed in such persons.Compare the note at Job_32:22.

3. Clarke, “They speak vanity every one with his neighbor - They are false and hollow; they sayone thing while they mean another; there is no trusting to what they say. Flattering lips, and witha double heart do they speak - בלב ולב beleb valeb, “With a heart and a heart.” They seem tohave two hearts; one to speak fair words, and the other to invent mischief.

4. Gill, “ They speak vanity everyone with his neighbour,.... That which is false and a lie, eitherdoctrinal or practical; what was not according to the word of God, and was vain and empty,frothy, filthy, and corrupt; and which no godly and faithful man would do. And this being done incommon, by the generality of men, one with another, shows the degeneracy of the age, andsupports the complaint before made. They speak even

with flattering lips; as Cain did to Abel, Joab to Amasa, the Herodians to Christ, Judas to hisMaster, false teachers to those that are simple, hypocrites to God himself, when they draw nigh tohim only with their lips, and all formal professors to the churches of Christ, when they professthemselves to be what they are not. And this is a further proof of the justness of the abovecomplaint;

and with a double heart do they speak: or "with an heart and an heart" (d); such are doubleminded men, who say one thing, and mean another; their words are not to be depended upon;there is no faithfulness in them. The Chinese (e) reckon a man of "two hearts", as they call him, avery wicked man, and none more remote from honesty.”

5. Henry, “. When dissimulation and flattery have corrupted and debauched all conversation,then the times are very bad (Psa_12:2), when men are generally so profligate that they make noconscience of a lie, are so spiteful as to design against their neighbours the worst of mischiefs, and

yet so base as to cover the design with the most specious and plausible pretences and professionsof friendship. Thus they speak vanity (that is, falsehood and a lie) every one to his neighbour, with

flattering lips and a double heart. They will kiss and kill (as Joab did Abner and Amasa in David'sown time), will smile in your face and cut your throat. This is the devil's image complete, acomplication of malice and falsehood. The times are bad indeed when there is no such thing assincerity to be met with, when an honest man knows not whom to believe nor whom to trust, nordares put confidence in a friend, in a guide, Mic_7:5, Mic_7:6; Jer_9:4, Jer_9:5. Woe to thosewho help to make the times thus perilous.”

6. Spurgeon, “They speak vanity every one with his neighbour. They utter that which is vain tohear, because of its frivolous, foolish, want of worth; vain to believe, because it was false andlying; vain to trust to, since it was deceitful and flattering; vain to regard, for it lifted up thehearer, filling him with proud conceit of himself. It is a sad thing when it is the fashion to talkvanity. "Call me, and I will call thee." is the old Scotch proverb; give me a high soundingcharacter, and I will give you one. Compliments and fawning congratulations are hateful tohonest men; they know that if they take they must give them, and they scorn to do either. Theseaccommodation bills are most admired by those who are bankrupt in character. Bad are thetimes when every man thus cajoles and cozens his neighbour. With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. He who puffs up another's heart, hasnothing better than wind in his own. If a man extols me to my face, he only shows me one side ofhis heart, and the other is black with contempt for me, or foul with intent to cheat me. Flattery isthe sign of the tavern where duplicity is the host. The Chinese consider a man of two hearts to bea very base man, and we shall be safe in reckoning all flatteries to be such.

7. Dave Hatcher has this excellent study making it clear that the culture was a matter of the warof words. “Wicked Words – The conversations of a culture and what we expect of thoseconversations, tells us much of the state of that culture. Has the church lost her saltiness due toher words?

Idle Words/Lies (v2) – First, the culture carries on in empty talk, lies and gossip (accusations withno opportunity for defense). The things we whisper to one another will be judged by God (Matt12:36f, 1 Tim 6:20).Flattering Words (v2) – Second, the culture engages in flattery in order to gain the approval ofothers in power. God hates such grasping for acceptance and such perversion of true honor (Rom16:18).Double-Talk (v2) – Third, the culture is known as being a people who speak out of both sides oftheir mouth. You speak well of someone when they are around and then wickedly of them whenthey are gone. Or you speak well of them when others are around, butyou speak wickedly to them when no one else is around. In either case, you are double-minded,and the Lord despises such a tongue (James 3:6-12).Boasting (v4) – The proud say, “Our lips, our words, our belief-systems in the important areas oflife, are our own.” They demand neutrality from any other god other than themselves and theirown enlightened thinking.Attack on the Weak (v5) – Once in their place of power, this kind of culture condemns all otherviews and exploits the weak and poor for their own ends. Because they have done so by their lipsand tongues, the psalm-singer laments for their lips and tongues to be violently cut out – to theglory of God. Some may cringe at such unbiblical, unloving language (except that it comes from

the Bible out of the mouth of God who is love). Is this evidence that we, the contemporarychurch, have lost our saltiness and our sting?

God’s Words (v5-6) – In contrast, God’s Word is set, firm, secure, unchanging, and pure. Refinedseven times, God’s words can be believed and trusted. He has determined the choicest words touse, He never lies, He never flatters, and He never speaks with duplicity. How flipped around wehave this, trusting the experts in their fields over the words of God. The scientists tell us that theuniverse must be billions of years old. The psychologists tell us that sexual preferences are anatural fabric of an individual. The well-lettered theologians tell us that God never intended to becalled “He,” to the exclusion of “She.” They all tell us that God’s Word is not very clear on thesethings. But God’s Word tells us that His words are like silver refined seven times. The problem ofpurity and clarity is not in the Word. God’s Promises (vv5-7) – God has promised that He willarise and deliver the oppressed from their own generation (v5). The psalmsinger then remembersthe nature of God’s Word and promises (v6) and concludes that of course God will deliver (v7, 1Pet 1:5). Considering the corporate nature of this prayer, we are singing about a culturalreformation.”

8. Treasury of David, “Verse 1-2,. 4. See Psalms on "Psalms 11:1" for further information.

Verse 2. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart

do they speak. The feigned zeal is just like a waterman, that looks one way and rows another way;for this man pretends one thing and intends another thing; as Jehu pretended the zeal of God'sglory, but his aim was at his master's kingdom; and his zeal to God's service was but to bring himto the sceptre of the kingdom. So Demetrius professed great love unto Diana, but his drift was tomaintain the honour of his profession; and so we have too many that make great show ofholiness, and yet their hearts aim at other ends; but they may be sure, though they can deceivethe world and destroy themselves, yet not God, who knoweth the secrets of all hearts. Gr.Williams, 1636.

Verse 2. They speak vanity. --

Faithless is earth, and faithless are the skies! Justice is fled, and truth is now no more! Virgil's Aneid, IV. 373.

Verse 2. With a double heart. Man is nothing but insincerity, falsehood, and hypocrisy, both inregard to himself and in regard to others. He does not wish that he should be told the truth, heshuns saying it to others; and all these moods, so inconsistent with justice and reason, have theirroots in his heart. Blaise Pascal.

Verse 2. With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. There is no such stuff to make acloak of as religion; nothing so fashionable, nothing so profitable: it is a livery wherein a wiseman may serve two masters, God and the world, and make a gainful service by either. I serveboth, and in both myself, by prevaricating with both. Before man none serves his God with moredevotion; for which, among the best of men, I work my own ends, and serve myself. In private, Iserve the world; not with so strict devotion, but with more delight; where fulfilling of herservants' lusts, I work my end and serve myself. The house of prayer who more frequents than I?In all Christian duties who more forward than I? I fast with those who fast, that I may eat withthose that eat. I mourn with those that mourn. �o hand more open to the cause than mine, and intheir families none prays longer and with louder zeal. Thus when the opinion of a holy life hathcried the goodness of my conscience up, my trade can lack no custom, my wares can want no

price, my words can need no credit, my actions can lack no praise. If I am covetous, it isinterpreted providence; if miserable, it is counted temperance; if melancholy, it is construedgodly sorrow; if merry, it is voted spiritual joy; if I be rich, it is thought the blessing of a godlylife; if poor, supposed the fruit of conscionable dealing; if I be well spoken of, it is the merit ofholy conversation; if ill, it is the malice of malignants. Thus I sail with every wind, and have myend in all conditions. This cloak in summer keeps me cool, in winter warm, and hides the nastybag of all my secret lusts. Under this cloak I walk in public fairly with applause, and in privatesin securely without offence, and officiate wisely without discovery. I compass sea and land tomake a proselyte; and no sooner made, but he makes me. At a fast I cry Geneva, and at a feast Icry Rome. If I be poor, I counterfeit abundance to save my credit; if rich, I dissemble poverty tosave charges. I most frequent schismatic lectures, which I find most profitable; from thencelearning to divulge and maintain new doctrines; they maintain me in suppers thrice a week. I usethe help of a lie sometimes, as a new stratagem to uphold the gospel; and I colour oppression withGod's judgments executed upon the wicked. Charity I hold an extraordinary duty, therefore notordinarily to be performed. What I openly reprove abroad, for my own profit, that I secretly actat home, for my own pleasure. But stay, I see a handwriting in my heart which damps my soul. Itis characterized in these sad words, "Woe be to you, hypocrites." Matthew 23:13. FrancisQuarle's "Hypocrite's Soliloquy."

Verse 2. With flattering lips, etc. The world indeed says that society could not exist if there wereperfect truthfulness and candour between man and man; and that the world's propriety would beas much disturbed if every man said what he pleased, as it was in those days of Israelitish history,when every man did that which was right in his own eyes. The world is assuredly the best judgeof its own condition and mode of government, and therefore I will not say what a libel does such aremark contain, but oh, what a picture does it present of the social edifice, that its walls can becemented and kept together only by flattery and falsehood! Barton Bouchier.

Verse 2. Flattering lips. The philosopher Bion being asked what animal he though the mosthurtful, replied, "That of wild creatures a tyrant, and of tame ones a flatterer." The flatterer isthe most dangerous enemy we can have. Raleigh, himself a courtier, and therefore initiated intothe whole art of flattery, who discovered in his own career and fate its dangerous and deceptivepower, its deep artifice and deeper falsehood, says, "A flatterer is said to be a beast that bitethsmiling. But it is hard to know them from friends -- they are so obsequious and full ofprotestations: for as a wolf resembles a dog, so doth a flatterer a friend." The Book of Symbols,1844.

Verse 2. They speak with a double heart. The original is, "A heart and a heart:" one for thechurch, another for the change; one for Sundays, another for working days; one for the king,another for the pope. A man without a heart is a wonder, but a man with two hearts is a monster.It is said of Judas, "There were many hearts in one man;" and we read of the saints, "There wasone heart in many men." Acts 4:32. Dabo illis cor unum; a special blessing. Thomas Adams.

Verse 2. When men cease to be faithful to their God, he who expects to find them so to each other,will be much disappointed. The primitive sincerity will accompany the primitive piety in herflight from the earth; and then interest will succeed conscience in the regulation of humanconduct, till one man cannot trust another farther than he holds him by that tie. Hence, by theway, it is, that though many are infidels themselves, yet few choose to have their families anddependents such; as judging, and rightly judging, that true Christians are the only persons to bedepended on for the exact discharge of social duties. George Horne.”

3 May the LORD silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—

1. Barnes, “The Lord shall cut off - This might be rendered, “May the Lord cut off,” implying awish on the part of the psalmist that it might occur. But probably the common rendering is thecorrect one. It is the statement of a solemn truth, designed for warning, that all such personswould be punished.

All flattering lips - The meaning is, that he will cut off all “persons” who use flattery; that is, hewill cut them off from the favors which he will show to his own people, or will punish them. Theword used here is the common one to denote disowning or excommunicating, and derives itsmeaning from the act of separating offenders from a community. See Gen_17:14; Lev_17:10;Lev_18:29; Lev_20:3, Lev_20:6; et soepe.

And the tongue that speaketh proud things - That boasts, or is self-confident. For an exampleof this, see Isa_28:15; and compare the notes at that passage. It was this disposition to falsehood,flattery, and boasting, which constituted the fact stated in Psa_12:1, that “godly” and “faithful”men - men on whom reliance might be placed, whose word might be trusted, and whose promisedaid in the cause of truth might be depended on - had seemed to “fail” among men. That is, nosuch men could be found.

2. Gill, “The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips,.... This is either a prophecy or a prayer, as AbenEzra and Kimchi observe; that God either would or should cut off such who used flattery withtheir lips, by inflicting some judgment in this life, or everlasting punishment hereafter; by takingthem away by death "out of the world", as the Targum paraphrases it; or by casting them intohell, where all liars and deceitful persons will have their portion; see Job_32:21;

and the tongue that speaketh proud things, or "great things" (f), as the little horn, Dan_7:20; andthe beast, or Romish antichrist, who is designed by both, Rev_13:5; and which will beaccomplished when Christ shall destroy him with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness ofhis coming; and indeed every tongue that riseth up against God, Christ, and his people, will becondemned; when ungodly sinners will be convinced of all their hard speeches, Isa_54:17,Jud_1:15. Perhaps some regard may be had to the tongue of Doeg the Edomite; see Psa_52:3.

3. Henry, “ That God will certainly reckon with false and proud men, and will punish andrestrain their insolence. They are above the control of men and set them at defiance. Men cannotdiscover the falsehood of flatterers, nor humble the haughtiness of those that speak proud things;but the righteous God will cut off all flattering lips, that give the traitor's kiss and speak wordssofter then oil when war is in the heart; he will pluck out the tongue that speaks proud things

against God and religion, Psa_12:3. Some translate it as a prayer, “May God cut off those falseand spiteful lips.” Let lying lips be put to silence.”

4. Spurgeon, “Total destruction shall overwhelm the lovers of flattery and pride, but meanwhilehow they hector and fume! Well did the apostle call them "raging waves of the sea, foaming outtheir own shame." Free thinkers are generally very free talkers, and they are never more at easethan when railing at God's dominion, and arrogating to themselves unbounded license. Strange isit that the easy yoke of the Lord should so gall the shoulders of the proud, while the iron bands ofSatan they bind about themselves as chains of honour: they boastfully cry unto God, Who is lord over us? and hear not the hollow voice of the evil one, who cries from the infernallake, "I am your lord, and right faithfully do ye serve me." Alas, poor fools, their pride and gloryshall be cut off like a fading flower! May God grant that our soul may not be gathered with them.It is worthy of observation that flattering lips, and tongues speaking proud things, are classedtogether: the fitness of this is clear, for they are guilty of the same vice, the first flatters another,and the second flatters himself, in both cases a lie is in their right hands. One generally imaginesthat flatterers are such mean parasites, so cringing and fawning, that they cannot be proud; butthe wise man will tell you that while all pride is truly meanness, there is in the very lowestmeanness no small degree of pride. Caesar's horse is even more proud of carrying Caesar, thatCaesar is of riding him. The mat on which the emperor wiped his shoes, boasts vain gloriously,crying out, "I cleaned the imperial boots." �one are so detestably domineering as the littlecreatures who creep into office by cringing to the great; those are bad times, indeed, in whichthese obnoxious beings are numerous and powerful. �o wonder that the justice of God in cuttingoff such injurious persons is matter for a psalm, for both earth and heaven are weary of suchprovoking offenders, whose presence is a very plague to the people afflicted thereby. Men cannottame the tongues of such boastful flatterers; but the Lord's remedy if sharp is sure, and is anunanswerable answer to their swelling words of vanity.

5. Treasury of David, “Verse 3. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, etc. They who takepleasure in deceiving others, will at the last find themselves most of all deceived, when the Sun oftruth, by the brightness of his rising, shall at once detect and consume hypocrisy. George Horne.

Verse 3. Cut off lips and tongues. May there not be here an allusion to those terrible butsuggestive punishments which Oriental monarchs were wont to execute on criminals? Lips werecut off and tongues torn out when offenders were convicted of lying or treason. So terrible andinfinitely more so are the punishments of sin. C.H.S.

Verse 3-4. It need not now seem strange to tell you that the Lord is the owner of our bodies, that hehas so much propriety therein that they are more his than ours. The apostle tells us as much.1 Corinthians 6:20 . "Glorify God in your bodies which are his." Our bodies, and every memberthereof, are his: for if the whole be so, no part is exempted. And therefore they spake proudthings, and presumptuously usurped the propriety of God, who said, Our lips are our own; asthough their lips had not been his who is Lord and Owner of all, but they had been lords thereof,and might have used them as they list. This provoked God to show what right he had to disposeof such lips and tongues, by cutting them off. David Clarkson.

4 those who say,

“By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

1. Barnes, “Who have said - Who habitually say. This does not mean that they had formally andopenly said this - for none would be likely to do so - but that they had practically and really saidthis by their conduct. They acted as if it were the real principle on which they framed their lives,that they might use their tongues as they pleased.

With our tongue - literally, “as to,” or “in respect to our tongue;” that is, by our tongue. It wasby the tongue that they expected to accomplish their purposes. It was not by direct power, or byviolence, but by the power of speech.

Will we prevail - literally, “We will do mightily;” that is, they would accomplish their purposes.They relied on the power of speech - on their ability in influencing others; in deceiving others; inpersuading others to fall in with their plans.

Our lips are our own - That is, we may use them as we please; no one has a right to control usin the use of what properly belongs to ourselves. It cannot be meant that they intended to assertthis openly as a right, for there are perhaps none who will not admit in words that they areresponsible for what they “say,” as well as for what they “do.” But their conduct was such thatthis was the fair interpretation to be placed on what they said. They would speak this if theyopenly professed and avowed what was their real opinion.

Who is lord over us? - That is, who has a right to control us in the case? There are many whopractically avow this as a principle of conduct, and who seem to feel that they are not responsiblefor their words, however much they may admit their responsibility for their actions. There isusually a greater degree of recklessness among men in regard to their speech than in regard totheir conduct; and many a man who would shrink from doing another wrong by an act ofdishonesty in business, may be utterly reckless as to doing him wrong by an unkind remark.

2. Clarke, “Our lips are our own - Many think, because they have the faculty of speaking, thattherefore they may speak what they please.”

3. Gill, “Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail,.... Either through the eloquence of them,or the outward force and power with which they are backed. The sense is, as we say, so shall it be;our words are laws, and shall be obeyed, there is no standing against them; our edicts and decreesshall everywhere be regarded: or "we will make one to prevail", or "have the dominion" (g);meaning antichrist, the man of sin; for all this is true of the tongues of the antichristian party,and of their laws, edicts, and decrees and which have obtained everywhere, and by which thewicked one has been established in his tyrannical power and authority;

our lips are our own, or "with us" (h): we will say what we please, and make what laws anddecrees we think fit, and impose them upon men; and so change times and laws without control,Dan_7:25; who is Lord over us? which is the very language and conduct of antichrist, who opposes andexalts himself above all that is called God, 2Th_2:4; and is indeed the language of the hearts andlives of all wicked and ungodly men, sons of Belial, men without any yoke or restraint; who walk,and are resolved to walk, after the imagination of their own evil hearts; not knowing the Lord,

and being unwilling to obey him, or to be restrained by him; see Exo_5:2.”

4. Henry, “When the enemies of God, and religion, and religious people, are impudent anddaring, and threaten to run down all that is just and sacred, then the times are very bad, whenproud sinners have arrived at such a pitch of impiety as to say, “With our tongue will we prevail

against the cause of virtue; our lips are our own and we may say what we will; who is lord over us,

either to restrain us or to call us to an account?” Psa_12:4. This bespeaks, (1.) A proud conceit ofthemselves and confidence in themselves, as if the point were indeed gained by eating forbiddenfruit, and they were as gods, independent and self-sufficient, infallible in their knowledge of goodand evil and therefore fit to be oracles, irresistible in their power and therefore fit to belawgivers, that could prevail with their tongues, and, like God himself, speak and it is done. (2.)An insolent contempt of God's dominion as if he had no propriety in them - Our lips are our own

(an unjust pretension, for who made man's mouth, in whose hand is his breath, and whose is theair he breathes in?) and as if he had no authority either to command them or to judge them: Who

is Lord over us? Like Pharaoh, Exo_5:1. This is as absurd and unreasonable as the former; for hein whom we live, and move, and have our being, must needs be, by an indisputable title, Lordover us.”

5. Treasury of David, “Verse 4. Who have said, With our tongues will we prevail; who is Lord overus? So it was: twelve poor and unlearned men on the one side, all the eloquence of Greece andRome arrayed on the other. From the time of Tertullus to that of Julian the apostate, everyspecies of oratory, learning, wit, was lavished against the church of God; and the result, like thewell known story of that dispute between the Christian peasant and the heathen philosopher,when the latter, having challenged the assembled fathers of a synod to silence him, was put toshame by the simple faith of the former "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I command theeto be dumb." Who is lord over us? "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israelgo?" Exodus 5:2. "What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?" Job 21:15. "Who is that Godthat shall deliver you?" Daniel 3:15. Michael Ayguan, in J. M. �eale's Commentary. Verse 4. Our lips are our own. If we have to do with God, we must quit claim to ourselves and lookon God as our owner; but this is fixed in the hearts of men, We will be our own; we will notconsent to the claim which God makes to us: "Our lips are our own." Wicked men might as wellsay the same thing of their whole selves; our bodies, strength, time, parts, etc., are our own, andwho is Lord over us? John Howe.

Verse 4. From the faults of the wicked we must learn three contrary lessons; to wit: 1. That nothingwhich we have is our own. But, 2. Whatsoever is given to us of God is for service to be done tohim. 3. That whatsoever we do or say, we have a Lord over us to whom we must be answerablewhen he calleth us to account. David Dickson.

5 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD.

“I will protect them from those who malign them.”

1. God is the defender of the poor and needy. People all through history take advantage of thepoor. They are treated like dirt and bullied by all who have a little more power. If God did notprotect them they would be helpless against oppressors.

2. Jamison, “The writer intimates his confidence by depicting God’s actions (compare Psa_9:19;Psa_10:12) as coming to save the poor at whom the wicked sneer (Psa_10:5).

3. Barnes, “For the oppression of the poor - That is, on account of the wrong done to the poor inthe manner specified above - by the abuse of the power of speech. On account of the slandersuttered against them, or the frauds perpetrated on them by the abuse of this power. The referenceis to the wrongs done when no confidence could be placed in men’s words; when they utteredwords of “vanity” and “flattery” Psa_12:2; when promises were made only to be broken, andobligations assumed never to be fulfilled. In such a state of things the “poor” were the most likelyto suffer. In performing service for others - in daily labor on a farm or in a mechanicalemployment - they would depend for support, on the promises made by their employers; andwhen their pay was withheld, they and their families must suffer. Compare Jam_5:4. Rich men,having other resources, would not thus suffer; but the poor must always suffer when there is inthe community a disregard of the obligation of promises. In like manner, the poor would be mostlikely to “be taken in by the acts of unprincipled men, and to be deceived in their small dealingswith them. Other classes of the community would be on their guard; but the poor, unacquaintedwith the arts of cunning men, are always liable - though on a small scale, yet of importance tothem - to be wronged by the false statements and promises of those against whom they can haveno redress.

For the sighing of the needy ... - The word “needy” here is synonymous with “poor.” It refers tothose in humble circumstances, who were especially liable to be wronged by deceitful statementsand promises.

I will set him in safety - I will make him safe. I will save him from the evils which they thoughtto bring upon him. The general idea is, that God is the vindicator of the poor and the oppressed.

From him that puffeth at him - Prof. Alexander renders this, “I will place in safety him thatshall pant for it.” Gesenius renders it, “whom they puffed at; that is, the oppressed.” Thelanguage in the original is difficult. It may mean either “he pants for it,” or “he puffs at him;”and the meaning can only be determined by the connection. That would rather seem to be what isindicated in our common version; to wit, that the persons referred to as oppressing the poor andneedy, “puffed” at them; that is, they looked upon them with contempt, and felt that with a puffof their breath they could blow them away. They regarded them as insignificant and worthless.By this construction, also, the connection with the main statement will be best preserved - thatthe injury referred to in the psalm was done by “words,” by the breath of the mouth - thusindicating that by a “word” or a “breath” they could destroy them.

4. Clarke, “For the oppression of the poor - This seems to refer best to the tribulations which thepoor Israelites suffered while captives in Babylon. The Lord represents himself as looking on andseeing their affliction; and, hearing their cry, he determines to come forward to their help.

�ow will I arise - I alone delivered them into the hands of their enemies, because of their

transgressions; I alone can and will deliver them from the hands of their enemies; and themanner of their deliverance shall show the power and influence of their God.

From him that puffeth at him - Here is much interpolation to make out a sense. Several of theversions read, “I will give him an open salvation.” My work shall be manifest.

5. Gill, “For the oppression of the poor,.... The servants and people of God, who, for the mostpart, are poor in a temporal sense, and are all of them, and always, so in a spiritual sense,standing continually in need of fresh supplies of grace; and being often afflicted, as the wordsignifies, are mean and despicable in the eyes of the men of this world, and so oppressed by them,as the poor generally are by the rich; and as the people of Israel were oppressed by theEgyptians, so are the people of God by antichrist, and by his tyrannical laws and edicts, and bysuch haughty and insolent persons as before described;

for the sighing of the needy; who groan under their oppressions; being stripped of all good things,their friends, and worldly substance, they sigh inwardly, and cry unto the Lord, who sees theiroppressions, hears their groans; and though he cannot be moved, as men are, by anythingwithout himself, yet, according to his abundant mercy and sovereign will, he appears and exertshimself on the behalf of his people, and for their relief and assistance;

now will I arise, saith the Lord; to have mercy on the poor and needy, and to avenge them ontheir oppressors, and free them from them. And this the Lord promises to do "now", speedily,immediately; God arises in the most seasonable time, when his people are in the greatest straits,and in the utmost distress and herein displays his wisdom, power, and goodness. This is ananswer to the petition of the psalmist in Psa_12:1;

I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him; or "in salvation" (i); in Christ the Saviour.All God's people are put into the hands of Christ, and are preserved in him; there they are insafety, for out of his hands none can pluck them; and being built on him, the Rock, they are safe,notwithstanding the waves and winds of temptation, persecution, &c. come with ever so muchforce upon them. Here it seems to signify, that God would deliver his poor and needy from theiroppressions, and put them into a comfortable, prosperous, safe, and happy situation, in whichthey will be out of the reach of their enemies; as will be the witnesses, when they shall ascend toheaven, Rev_11:11; even out of the reach of him that "puffeth at" them, despises them, and treatsthem with the utmost scorn and contempt; see Psa_10:5. Or that "breathes", or "let himbreathe" (k) threatenings and slaughters; as Saul did against the disciples of Christ, Act_9:1; orthat "lays snares for him" (l), as the wicked do for the righteous; or that "speaks unto him" insuch haughty and insolent language as before expressed. Some make this clause a proposition ofitself, "he puffeth at him"; meaning either that he that is secure, safety puffs at his enemy,despises him, as he has been despised by him; or God, who breathes upon him, and whose breathis as a stream of brimstone, which kindles in him a fire of divine wrath, which is unquenchable;or else the sense is, God will "speak to himself", or "to him" (m); in which sense the word is usedHab_2:4; that is, good and comfortable words to the poor; or "he will give him refreshment", or"rest": which he will determine in himself to speak to him: or "he shall have breathing", or "lethim breathe" (n): he shall have times of refreshing from the Lord, and rest from adversity, fromthe oppositions and persecutions of his enemies.”

6. Henry, “When the poor and needy are oppressed, and abused, and puffed at, then the times are

very bad. This is implied (Psa_12:5) where God himself takes notice of the oppression of the poor

and the sighing of the needy; they are oppressed because they are poor, have all manner of wrongdone them merely because they are not in a capacity to right themselves. Being thus oppressed,they dare not speak for themselves, lest their defence should be made their offence; but they sigh,secretly bemoaning their calamities, and pouring out their souls in sighs before God. If theiroppressors be spoken to on their behalf, they puff at them, make light of their own sin and themisery of the poor, and lay neither to heart; see Psa_10:5.

That God will, in due time, work deliverance for his oppressed people, and shelter them from themalicious designs of their persecutors (Psa_12:5): 0ow, will I arise, saith the Lord. This promise ofGod, which David here delivered by the spirit of prophecy, is an answer to that petition which heput up to God by the spirit of prayer. “Help, Lord,” says he; “I will,” says God; “here I am, withseasonable and effectual help.” (1.) It is seasonable, in the fittest time. [1.] When the oppressorsare in the height of their pride and insolence - when they say, Who is lord over us? - then is God'stime to let them know, to their cost, that he is above them. [2.] When the oppressed are in thedepth of their distress and despondency, when they are sighing like Israel in Egypt by reason ofthe cruel bondage, then is God's time to appear for them, as for Israel when they were mostdejected and Pharaoh was most elevated. 0ow will I arise. �ote, There is a time fixed for therescue of oppressed innocency; that time will come, and we may be sure it is the fittest time,Psa_102:13. (2.) It is effectual: I will set him in safety, or in salvation, not only protect him, butrestore him to his former prosperity, will bring him out into a wealthy place (Psa_66:12), so that,upon the whole, he shall lose nothing by his sufferings.”

7. Spurgeon, “In due season the Lord will hear his elect ones, who cry day and night unto him,and though he bear long with their oppressors, yet will he avenge them speedily. Observe that themere oppression of saints, however silently they bear it, is in itself a cry to God: Moses was heardat the Red Sea, though he said nothing; and Hagar's affliction was heard despite her silence.Jesus feels with his people, and their smarts are mighty orators with him. By and by, however,they begin to sigh and express their misery, and then relief comes post haste. �othing moves afather like the cries of his children; he bestirs himself, wakes up his manhood, overthrows theenemy, and sets his beloved in safety. A puff is too much for the child to bear, and the foe is sohaughty, that he laughs the little one to scorn; but the Father comes, and then it is the child's turnto laugh, when he is set above the rage of his tormentor. What virtue is there in a poor man'ssighs, that they should move the Almighty God to arise from his throne. The needy did not dareto speak, and could only sigh in secret, but the Lord heard, and could rest no longer, but girdedon his sword for the battle. It is a fair day when our soul brings God into her quarrel, for whenhis bare arm is seen, Philistia shall rue the day. The darkest hours of the Church's night are thosewhich precede the break of day. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. Jesus will come to deliverjust when his needy ones shall sigh, as if all hope had gone for ever. O Lord, set thy now near athand, and rise up speedily to our help. Should the afflicted reader be able to lay hold upon thepromise of this verse, let him gratefully fetch a fulness of comfort from it. Gurnall says, "As onemay draw out the wine of a whole hogshead at one tap, so may a poor soul derive the comfort ofthe whole covenant to himself through one promise, if he be able to apply it." He who promises toset us in safety, means thereby preservation on earth, and eternal salvation in heaven.

8. Treasury of David, “Verse 5. For the oppression of the poor, etc. When oppressors andpersecutors do snuff and puff at the people of God, when they defy them, and scorn them, andthink that they can with a blast of their breath blow them away, then God will arise to judgment,

as the Chaldee has it; at that very nick of time when all seems to be lost, and when the poor,oppressed, and afflicted people of God can do nothing but sigh and weep, and weep and sigh,then the Lord will arise and ease them of their oppressions, and make their day of extremity aglorious opportunity to work for his own glory, and his people's good. Mt 22:6-7. "And theremnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the kingheard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers, andburned up their city." Thomas Brooks.

Verse 5. Fear ye, whosoever ye be, that do wrong the poor; you have power and wealth, and thefavour of the judges, but they have the strongest weapons of all, sighings and groanings, whichfetch help from heaven for them. These weapons dig down houses, throw up foundations,overthrow whole nations. Chrysostom.

Verse 5. For the sighings of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord. God is pleased to takenotice of every grace, even the least and lowest, and every gracious inclination in any of hisservants. To fear his name is no great matter, yet these have a promise. To think on his name less,yet set down in a "book of remembrance." God sets down how many good thoughts a poor soulhath had. As evil thoughts in wicked men are taken notice of -- they are the first fruits of the evilheart (Matthew 15:19) -- so good thoughts are they which lie uppermost, and best discover a goodheart. A desire is a small matter, especially of the poor man, yet God regards the desire of thepoor, and calls a good desire the greatest kindness; "The desire of a man is his kindness." A tearmakes no great noise, yet hath a voice, "God hath heard the voice of my weeping." It is nopleasant water, yet God bottles it up. A groan is a poor thing, yet is the best part of a prayersometimes (Romans 8:26); a sigh is less, yet God is awakened and raised up by it. Psalms 12:5. Alook is less than all these, yet this is regarded (Jonah 2:4); breathing is less, yet (Lamentations3:56), the church could speak of no more; panting is less than breathing, when one is spent forlack of breath, yet this is all the godly can sometimes boast of. Psalms 42:1. The description of agodly man is ofttimes made from his least quod sic. Blessed are the poor, the meek, they thatmourn, and they who hunger and thirst. �ever did Hannah pray better than when she could getout never a word, but cried, "Hard, hard heart." �or did the publican, than when he smote hisbreast and cried, "Lord, be merciful to me a sinner." �or Mary Magdalene, than when she camebehind Christ, sat down, wept, but kept silence. How sweet is music upon the waters! Howfruitful are the lowest valleys! Mourning hearts are most musical, lowest most fruitful. The goodshepherd ever takes most care of his weak lambs and feeble sheep. The father makes most of theleast, and the mother looks most after the sick child. How comfortable is that of our Saviour, "Itis not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish!" Andthat heaven is not to be entered but by such as are like the little child. John Sheffield, 1654.

Verse 5. The oppression of the poor. Insolent and cruel oppressing of the poor is a sin that bringsdesolating and destroying judgments upon a people. God sent ten wasting judgments one afteranother upon Pharaoh, his people, and land, to revenge the cruel oppression of his poor people."Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord willplead their cause." Proverbs 22:22-23. To rob and oppress the rich is a great sin; but to rob andoppress the poor is a greater; but to rob and oppress the poor because he is poor, and wantsmoney to buy justice, is the top of all inhumanity and impiety. To oppress anyone is sin; but tooppress the oppressed is the height of sin. Poverty, and want, and misery, should be motives topity; but oppressors make them the whetstone of their cruelty and severity, and therefore theLord will plead the cause of his poor oppressed people against their oppressors without fee orfear; yea, he will plead their cause with pestilence, blood, and fire. Gog was a great oppressor ofthe poor (Eze 38:8-14), and God pleads against him with pestilence, blood, and fire (Ezekiel

38:22); "and I will plead against him, with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him,and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and greathailstones, fire, and brimstone." Thomas Brooks.

6 And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.

1. Barnes, “The words of the Lord - In contrast with the words of the persons referred to inPsa_12:2-4. Their words were vanity, flattery, and falsehood; and no reliance could be placed onthem. In contrast with these words, the words of the Lord were pure. They were to be relied on.All his sayings were true and faithful. The design is to bring his words into contrast with thesayings of such men, and to show how much more safety there is in relying on his promises thanon the promises made by such men. Man failed, but God would not. Reliance could not be placedon the words of even the professedly “godly” and “faithful” Psa_12:1, but entire confidencemight be placed in the words of Yahweh. All his words were true, pure, faithful, so that evenwhen his own professed friends failed, and confidence could be placed in them, yet there was stillreason for unwavering confidence in God himself.

Are pure words - That is, they are without any mixture of falsehood - for this idea is implied inthe comparison which the psalmist makes when he says that they are like silver purified in thefurnace, that is, from which all the dross has been removed.

As silver tried in a furnace of earth - The word here rendered “furnace” properly means aworkshop. Perhaps it corresponds nearly with our word “laboratory,” as the term is now used bychemists. It evidently refers to some place where the metal was tried and purified. The wordsrendered “of earth” literally mean “on the earth,” or “in the earth?” The language does not meanthat the “furnace” was “made” of earth, as would seem to be implied in our version, but that the“furnace” or laboratory was erected on the earth, or in the earth. It may refer to something like acrucible placed on the ground, around which a fire of intense heat could be made. It is probablethat some such structure would be made near the mines where ore was obtained, and that the orewould be thus purified from dross before it was removed.

Purified seven times - By passing it seven times - that is, very often - through the fire. The word“seven” in the Scriptures denotes a complete or perfect number, and is often used to denotefrequency. The idea here would seem to be that the process was repeated until the silver becameentirely pure. The sense is, that the words of the Lord are “perfectly pure.” There is noadmixture of falsehood in his statements; there is no deception in his promises; there is noflattery in what he says. This was the ground of confidence on the part of the psalmist - that whilemen (even those who professed to be good men) so failed that no reliance could be placed on theirstatements, the most perfect trust could be reposed on all the statements of God.

1B. F. B. Meyer, “What a contrast is presented in this Psalm between God's words and man's!"They speak vanity, with flattering lip and double heart." God never flatters; his words areabsolutely pure because they have passed through the furnace of his holiness, but they aretherefore absolutely reliable and trustworthy.

As silver enriches its owner, so does the Word of God enrich its lovers. �othing so strengthens theintellect, clears the judgment, enlarges the views, purifies the taste, quickens the imagination, andeducates the whole man. The humblest day labourer who imbibes the Bible becomes rich inthought and speech, and able to dispense his riches to others.

As silver is beautiful to the eye, so fair is the Word of God. After a boy born blind had beensuddenly possessed of sight through an operation by a skilful oculist, his mother led him out-of-doors, took off the bandages, and gave him his first view of sunshine, sky, and flowers. "Oh,mother," he cried, "why did you never tell me it was so beautiful?" With starting tears, she said,""I tried to tell you, my dear, but you could not understand me." We need opened eyes, and thenthe Bible is more to be desired than fine gold.

As silver is pure, so is the Word of God; and it purifies. It has been the main purifying agent ofthe world. Though it deals with the corruptions of the human heart, it does so in such a delicateand holy manner as to excite within us something of the abhorrence of the Holy God. Like thepassage of water through a sieve, it cleanses the heart and life.”

1C. F. B. Meyer from another source, “HELP, LORD!

The opening words suggest that this Psalm is an appeal for help in bad and evil days. There aredays when sin seems rampant, sweeping all before it. The great and godly men one by one aretaken away and the ungodly reign supreme. But when there is no help in man, let us turn to Godwith the cry which broke from Peter's lips when sinking in the waves. It is a very convenient cry,both from its brevity and its comprehensiveness. Help, Lord! (see Micah 7:2).

THE �EED OF HELP (Psalm 12:1, 2, 4).

A double heart is literally a heart and a heart; and such practice deceit on neighbors whom theyshould love. On the contrary, we are bidden to put away lying, and speak truth to our neighbors(Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9). Oh for perfect transparency of heart and life!

THE CERTAI�TY OF HELP (Psalm 12:3-4).

The very prayer begotten in the heart carries the assurance of an answer. Besides, the world is somade that daring wickedness rarely goes unpunished. Let us never act as if we thought our lipswere our own; for they too have been bought with the price of those dear parched lips whichcried, 1 thirst.

THE ARISI�G OF HELP (Psalm 12:5).

God hears sighs. One sigh will make Him arise, as the sighs of Stephen made Jesus stand (Acts7:56).

THE BLESSED PROMISE OF HELP (Psalm 12:6-7).

There is no mixture of error in the words of God; all dross has been removed: they may thereforebe trusted to the uttermost. Bind the words of God to your heart, and fearlessly go forth into theworld. You shall be kept and preserved for evermore (Isa. 54:17).”

2. Clarke, “The words of the Lord are pure words - �one of his promises shall fall to the ground;the salvation which he has promised shall be communicated.

Silver tried in a furnace of earth - A refer ence to the purification of silver by the cupel. This isa sort of instrument used in the purification of silver. It may be formed out of a strong iron ringor hoop, adjusted in width and depth to the quantum of silver to be purified, and rammed full ofwell pulverized calcined bone. The metal to be purified must be mingled with lead, and laid onthe cupel, and exposed to a strong heat in an air furnace. The impurities of the metal will bepartly absorbed, and partly thrown off in fume. The metal will continue in a state of agitation tillall the impurities are thrown off; it will then become perfectly still, no more motion appearing,which is the token that the process is completed, or, according to the words of the text, is seventimes, that is, perfectly purified.

3. Gill, “The words of the Lord are pure words,.... This observation the psalmist makes inreference to what is just now said in Psa_12:5,, and in opposition to the words of wicked men inPsa_12:2; which are deceitful, sinful, and impure. The Scriptures are the words of God; and theyare pure and holy, free from all human mixtures, and from all fraud and deceit; they are theScriptures of truth. The promises are the words of God, and they are firm and stable, and alwaysto be depended on, and are ever fulfilled, being yea and amen in Christ Jesus. The Gospel, andthe doctrines of it, are the words of God; that is the sincere milk of the word, pure and incorrupt;as it is in itself, and as it is dispensed by the faithful ministers of it; and they are all according togodliness, and tend to encourage and promote purity and holiness of heart and life; See Pro_30:5;

as silver tried in a furnace of earth; they are as "silver" for worth and value; yea, they are morevaluable than silver or gold, Psa_19:10. The Bible is a mine of rich treasure, and to be searchedinto as for it; the promises in it are exceeding precious; they are like apples of gold in pictures ofsilver, and yield more joy than the finding a great spoil. The doctrines of the Gospel arecomparable to gold and silver and precious stones, and to be bought at any rate, but to be sold atnone: and they are as silver "tried", which is pure, and free from dross. The words of men, offalse teachers, are as dross and reprobate silver; but the words of the Lord are tried, and arepure, and free from all the dross of error and falsehood, Psa_18:30. And they are as silver tried"in a furnace of earth", which some (o) render "by the Lord of the earth"; but the word rathersignifies a furnace, or an refinery, in which metal is melted and purified; and may be applied tothe Lord Jesus Christ in human nature, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,and who came full fraught with the doctrines of the Gospel; and in whom they have been "tried",by his sufferings and death, and are found to be pure, solid, and substantial: or to the ministers ofthe Gospel, who have this treasure in earthen vessels, whose works and words and ministry aretried by many fiery trials, and abide: or to all the people of God in general, who dwelt in earthlytabernacles; and who, in the midst of various afflictions, have a comfortable and confirmingevidence of the purity and truth of the words of God, of the promises of his covenant, and thedoctrines of the Gospel;

purified seven times; that is, many times, Pro_24:16; and so completely and perfectly pure, andclear of all dross whatsoever, as silver so many times tried must needs be: and so the words ofGod are not only pure, but very pure, exceeding pure, Psa_119:140.

4. Henry, “That, though men are false, God is faithful; though they are not to be trusted, God is.They speak vanity and flattery, but the words of the Lord are pure words (Psa_12:6), not only alltrue, but all pure, like silver tried in a furnace of earth or a crucible. It denotes, (1.) The sincerityof God's word, every thing is really as it is there represented and not otherwise; it does not jestwith us, not impose upon us, nor has it any other design towards us than our own good. (2.) Thepreciousness of God's word; it is of great and intrinsic value, like silver refined to the highestdegree; it has nothing in it to depreciate it. (3.) The many proofs that have been given of its powerand truth; it has been often tried, all the saints in all ages have trusted it and so tried it, and itnever deceived them nor frustrated their expectation, but they have all set to their seal that God'sword is true, with an Experto crede - Trust one that has made trial; they have found it so. Probablythis refers especially to these promises of succouring and relieving the poor and oppressed. Theirfriends put them in hopes that they will do something for them, and yet prove a broken reed; butthe words of God are what we may rely upon; and the less confidence is to be put in men's wordslet us with the more assurance trust in God's word.

5. Spurgeon, “What a contrast between the vain words of man, and the pure words of Jehovah.Man's words are yea and nay, but the Lord's promises are yea and amen. For truth, certainty,holiness, faithfulness, the words of the Lord are pure as well refined silver. In the original there isan allusion to the most severely purifying process known to the ancients, through which silverwas passed when the greatest possible purity was desired; the dross was all consumed, and onlythe bright and precious metal remained; so clear and free from all alloy of error or unfaithfulnessis the book of the words of the Lord. The Bible has passed through the furnace of persecution,literary criticism, philosophic doubt, and scientific discovery, and has lost nothing but thosehuman interpretations which clung to it as alloy to precious ore. The experience of saints hastried it in every conceivable manner, but not a single doctrine or promise has been consumed inthe most excessive heat. What God's words are, the words of his children should be. If we wouldbe Godlike in conversation, we must watch our language, and maintain the strictest purity ofintegrity and holiness in all our communications.

6. Treasury of David, “Verse 6. The words of the Lord are pure words, etc. How beautifully is thisverse introduced, by way of contrast to what was said before concerning! Do sinners talk ofvanity? let saints then speak of Jesus and his gospel. Do they talk impure words? then let thefaithful use the pure words of God, which like silver, the more used, the more melted in the fire,the more precious will they be. It is true, indeed, despisers will esteem both God and his word astrifling; but oh, what an unknown treasure doth the word, the promises, the covenant relation ofthe divine things of Jesus contain! They are more to be desired than gold, yea, than pure gold;sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Robert Hawker.

Verse 6. The words of the Lord are pure words, etc. They that purify silver to the purpose, use toput it in the fire again and again, that it may be thoroughly tried. So is the truth of God; there isscarce any truth but hath been tried over and over again, and still if any dross happens to minglewith it, then God calls it in question again. If in former times there have been Scriptures alleged

that have not been pertinent to prove it, that truth shall into the fire again, that what is dross maybe burnt up; the Holy Ghost is so curious, so delicate, so exact, he cannot bear that falsehoodshould be mingled with the truths of the gospel. This is the reason, therefore, why that God dothstill, age after age, call former things in question, because that there is still some dross one way orother mingled with them; either in the stating the opinions themselves, or else in the Scripturesthat are brought and alleged for them, that have passed for current, for he will never leave till hehave purified them. The doctrine of God's free grace hath been tried over and over, and overagain. Pelagius begins, and he mingles his dross with it: he saith, grace is nothing but nature inman. Well, his doctrine was purified, and a great deal of dross purged out. Then come the semiPelagians, and they part stakes; they say, nature can do nothing without grace, but they makenature to concur with grace, and to have an influence as well as grace; and the dross of that wasburnt up. The Papists, they take up the same quarrel, but will neither be Pelagians nor semiPelagians, yet still mingle dross. The Arminians, they come, and they refine popery in that pointanew; still they mingle dross. God will have this truth tried seven times in the fire, until he hathbrought it forth as pure as pure may be. And I say it is because that truth is thus precious.Thomas Goodwin.

Verse 6. The Scripture is the sun; the church is the clock. The sun we know to be sure, andregularly constant in his motions; the clock, as it may fall out, may go too fast or too slow. Asthen, we should condemn him of folly that should profess to trust the clock rather than the sun,so we cannot but justly tax the credulity of those who would rather trust to the church than to theScripture. Bishop Hall.

Verse 6. The words of the Lord are pure words. Men may inspect detached portions of the Book,and please themselves with some things, which at first view, have the semblance of conniving atwhat is wrong. But let them read it, let them read the whole of it; let them carry along in theirminds the character of the persons to which the different portions of it were addressed; the age ofthe world, and the circumstances under which the different parts of it were written, and theparticular objects which even those portions of it have in view, which to an infidel mind appearthe most exceptionable; and they may be rationally convinced that, instead of originating in thebosom of an impostor, it owes its origin to men who wrote "as they were moved by the HolyGhost." Let them scrutinise it with as much severity as they please; only let their scrutiny be wellinformed, wisely directed, and with a fair and ingenuous mind, and we have no fears for theissue. There are portions of it on which ignorance and folly have put constructions that are forcedand unnatural, and which impure minds have viewed in shadows reflected from their ownimpurity. Montesquieu said of Voltaire, Lorsque Voltaire lit un livre, il le fait, puis il ecrit contrece qu'il a fait: "When Voltaire reads a book, he makes it what he pleases, and then writes againstwhat he has made." It is no difficult matter to besmear and blot its pages and then impute thefoul stains that men of corrupt minds have cast upon it, to its stainless Author. But if we honestlylook at it as it is, we shall find that like its Author, it is without blemish and without spot.Gardiner Spring, D.D.

Verse 6. The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seventimes. The expression may import two things: first, the infallible certainty of the word; and,secondly, the exact purity. First, the infallible certainty of the word, as gold endureth in the firewhen the dross is consumed. Vain conceits comfort us not in a time of trouble: but the word ofGod, the more it is tried, the more you will find the excellency of it -- the promise is tried, as wellas we are tried, in deep afflictions; but when it is so, it will be found to be most pure. "The wordof the Lord is tried; he is a buckler to all those who trust in him" (Proverbs 30:5); as pure goldsuffers no loss by the fire, so the promises suffer no loss when they are tried, but stand to us in

our greatest troubles. Secondly, it notes the exact perfection of the word: there is no dross insilver and gold that hath been often refined; so there is no defect in the word of God. ThomasManton.

Verse 6. Fry thus translates this verse: --

The words of Jehovah are pure words -- Silver refined in the crucible -- Gold, seventimes washed from the earth.

(qqzm) though sometimes applied to express the purity of silver, is more strictly an epithet ofgold, from the peculiar method made use of in separating it from the soil by repeated washingsand decantations.

John Fry, in loc.

Verse 6. Seven times. I cannot but admit that there may be a mystic meaning in the expression"seven times," in allusion to the seven periods of the church, or to that perfection, implied in thefigure seven, to which it is to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ. This will be morereadily allowed by those who admit of the prophetic interpretation of the seven epistles of theBook of Revelation. W. Wilson, D.D., in loc.

7 You, LORD, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked,

1. Barnes, “Thou shalt keep them That is, the persons referred to in Psa_12:5 - the poor and theneedy who were suffering from the wrongs inflicted on them. The idea is, that God would guardand defend them. They were safe in his hands. Compare Psa_37:3-7.

From this generation - This generation, or this race of detractors, flatterers, and oppressors.The idea is, that that entire generation was eminently wicked, and that none but God coulddeliver the poor and the needy from their designs.

Forever - That is, “constantly,” or as long as they would need the divine protection. God wouldnot interpose and save them from the “present” trouble, and then leave them to the designs oftheir enemies, but he would “always” interpose as often as there was any need of his help. That is,they were now, and would be at all times, entirely safe. They had nothing to fear, for God wastheir refuge and their help.

2. Clarke, “Thou shalt keep them - thou shalt preserve them - Instead of the pronoun them inthese clauses, several MSS., with the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Arabic, have us. The sense

is equally good in both readings. God did bring forth the Israelites from Babylon, according tohis word; he separated them from that generation. and reinstated them in their own land,according to his word; and most certainly he has preserved them from generation to generationto the present day, in a most remarkable manner.

3. Gill, “Thou shall keep them, O Lord,.... �ot the words before mentioned, as Aben Ezraexplains it, for the affix is masculine and not feminine; not but God has wonderfully kept andpreserved the sacred writings; and he keeps every word of promise which he has made; and thedoctrines of the Gospel will always continue from one generation to another; but the sense is, thatGod will keep the poor and needy, and such as he sets in safety, as Kimchi rightly observes: theyare not their own keepers, but God is the keeper of them; he keeps them by his power, and in hisSon, in whose hands they are, and who is able to keep them from falling; they are kept by himfrom a total and final falling away; from the dominion and damning power of sin, and from beingdevoured by Satan, and from the evil of the world: and this the psalmist had good reason tobelieve, because of the love of God to them, his covenant with them, and the promises of safetyand salvation he has made unto them;

thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever; or "thou shalt preserve him" (p); that is,everyone of the poor and needy, from the wicked generation of men in which they live, frombeing corrupted or intimidated by them; and who are described in the beginning of the psalm.Some take these words to be a prayer, "keep thou them, O Lord, and preserve them", &c. (q);and so the following words may be thought to be a reason or argument enforcing the request.”

4. Henry, “That God will secure his chosen remnant to himself, how bad soever the times are(Psa_12:7): Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. This intimates that, as long asthe world stands, there will be a generation of proud and wicked men in it, more or less, who willthreaten by their wretched arts to ruin religion, by wearing out the saints of the Most High,

Dan_7:25. But let God alone to maintain his own interest and to preserve his own people. He willkeep them from this generation, (1.) From being debauched by them and drawn away from God,from mingling with them and learning their works. In times of general apostasy the Lord knowsthose that are his, and they shall be enabled to keep their integrity. (2.) From being destroyed androoted out by them. The church is built upon a rock, and so well fortified that the gates of hellshall not prevail against it. In the worst of times God has his remnant, and in every age willreserve to himself a holy seed and preserve that to his heavenly kingdom.In singing this psalm, and praying it over, we must bewail the general corruption of manners,thank God that things are not worse than they are, but pray and hope that they will be better inGod's due time.”

5. Spurgeon, “To fall into the hands of an evil generation, so as to be baited by their cruelty, orpolluted by their influence, is an evil to be dreaded beyond measure; but it is an evil foreseen andprovided for in the text. In life many a saint has lived a hundred years before his age, as thoughhe had darted his soul into the brighter future, and escaped the mists of the beclouded present:he has gone to his grave unreverenced and misunderstood, and lo! as generations come and go,upon a sudden the hero is unearthed, and lives in the admiration and love of the excellent of the

earth; preserved for ever from the generation which stigmatised him as a sower of sedition, orburned him as a heretic. It should be our daily prayer that we may rise above our age as themountain tops above the clouds, and may stand out as heaven pointing pinnacle high above themists of ignorance and sin which roll around us. O Eternal Spirit, fulfill in us the faithful sayingof this verse! Our faith believes those two assuring words, and cries, Thou shalt, thou shalt.”

8 who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Barnes, “The wicked walk on every side - Everywhere. They have full license, or seem to bewholly unrestrained.

When the vilest men are exalted - Margin, “The vilest of the sons of men are exalted.” Thisexpression has been very variously translated. Dr. Horsley renders it, “When the scorn of thesons of men is exalted.” De Wette, “They exalt themselves; terror to the sons of men.” Luther,“Where such wicked people rule among the sons of men.” Hengstenberg, “Like exaltation isdisgrace to the sons of men.” Prof. Alexander seems inclined to favor this last view. According tothis interpretation, the meaning is, that “although the wicked are now in the ascendant, and therighteous are treated with contempt, this disgrace is realy an exaltation, because only ... in man’sjudgment, not in God’s, who will abundantly indemnity his people for the dishonor put uponthem.” The word rendered in our version “the vilest” - זלות zûllûth - means, according toGesenius, “trembling, terror.” It occurs nowhere else in the Scriptures. The verb from which it isderived - זלל zâlal - means to shake, to tremble; then (as one shakes out, or casts away worthlessthings) to be vile, abject, despised, worthless.

Perhaps, however, the common version expresses the idea more accurately than any of theseproposed amendments. I would offer the following as a fair translation of the passage: “Thewicked walk on every side; (it is) as the lifting up, or the exaltation of vileness among the sons ofmen.” That is, the state of things is as if the vilest were exalted, or were honored. It seems to bethe very exaltation of wickedness or depravity in the world. A state of things exists in which, fromthe prevalence of iniquity, the wicked seem to go unrestrained; in which no regard is paid totruth; in which falsehood and flattery abound; and it is as if honor were done to the worst formsof sin, and the most abandoned seem to be the most exalted. This appears to be the reason in themind of the psalmist why the divine interposition is necessary; with this idea the psalmcommences, and with this it appropriately closes. There was a state of widespread depravity andsuccessful iniquity, as if all honor were conferred on wicked and abandoned men, while thevirtuous were oppressed and degraded. The psalm expresses “confidence” in God - confidence inhis faithful word and promises; but the psalmist sees a state of things wherein it was eminentlydesirable that God should interpose, for the righteous seemed to have failed out of the earth, andthe wicked seemed to be wholly in the ascendancy.”

2. Clarke, “The wicked walk on every side - The land is full of them. When the vilest men areexalted; rather, As villany gains ground among the sons of Adam. See the Hebrew. In this we find a number of singular expressions, which, while they elucidate the text, will not be

uninteresting to the antiquary. Here, for instance, we see the true etymology of the wordsrighteous and righteousness, i.e., right wise and right wiseness. For we have it above as a noun,“rightwisnes”: as an adjective, “rightwis”; and as an adjective in the comparative degree,“rightwiser”: and we should have had it as an adverb, ryghtwisely, had not the word “skilwisly”occurred to the author.

Righteousness is right wiseness, or that which is according to true wisdom. A righteous man isone who is right wise; properly instructed in Divine wisdom, and acts according to its dictates;and among them who act rightwisely, there are some who act rightwiser than others; and nothingcan be rightwiser than ever to think and act according to the principles of that wisdom whichcomes from above.

Right, rectus, straight, is opposed to wrong, from injury, and that from to twist. As rehtansignifies to direct, so wrangen signifies to twist, or turn out of a straight or direct line. Right isstraight, and wrong, crooked. Hence the righteous man is one who goes straight forward, actsand walks by line and rule; and the unrighteous is he who walks in crooked paths, does what iswrong, and is never guided by true wisdom. Such a person is sometimes termed wicked, from theAnglo-Saxon to act by witch-craft, (hence wicca, a witch), that is to renounce God andrighteousness, and to give one’s self to the devil, which is the true character of a wicked man. Lethim that readeth understand. The vilest men are exalted - Were we to take this in its obvioussense, it would signify that at that time wickedness was the way to preferment, and that good menwere the objects of persecution.

3. Gill, “The wicked walk on every side,.... Of the poor and needy, of the righteous ones, to watchthem, lay snares for them, and hurt them; therefore, Lord, keep and preserve them: the wickedare everywhere in great numbers, the whole world lies in wickedness; and the men of it are liketheir father the devil, they go about to do all the mischief they can to the saints; wherefore theystand in need continually of divine preservation;

when the vilest men are exalted: either to great dignities and high offices, to be magistrates andrulers; see Pro_29:2; or are highly esteemed and caressed; which shows the sad degeneracy andbadness of the times, and the unsafe and dangerous condition the people of God are in, unlesskept by him; see Mal_3:15; or else these words may be considered as expressive of the judgmentof God upon wicked men, and so confirm what the psalmist had said of God's regard to andpreservation of his own people; and the sense be, that the wicked shall walk up and down hereand there, as outcasts and vagabonds, in a most desolate, destitute, and miserable condition; andas the latter clause may be rendered, "according to their exaltation shall be the vileness",depression, or humiliation "of the children of men" (r); they shall be brought as low as they havebeen made high; by how much the more highly they have been exalted, by so much the moredeeply they shall be humbled: or else the meaning is, they shall walk about here and therefretting and vexing, when they shall see such who in their opinion are the meanest and basest ofmen, of low degree, and of a mean extract, exalted to the highest posts of honour and dignity; asDavid, who was taken from the sheepfold, and placed on the throne of Israel; so Jarchi, whoobserves that the Haggadah explains it of the Israelites, who will be exalted in time to come.

4. Henry, “ When wickedness abounds, and goes barefaced, under the protection andcountenance of those in authority, then the times are very bad, Psa_12:8. When the vilest men are

exalted to places of trust and power (who, instead of putting the laws in execution against vice

and injustice and punishing the wicked according to their merits, patronise and protect them,give them countenance, and support their reputation by their own example), then the wicked walk

on every side; they swarm in all places, and go up and down seeking to deceive, debauch, anddestroy others; they are neither afraid nor ashamed to discover themselves; they declare their sinas Sodom and there is none to check or control them. Bad men are base men, the vilest of men,and they are so though they are ever so highly exalted in this world. Antiochus the illustrious thescripture calls a vile person, Dan_11:21. But it is bad with a kingdom when such are preferred; nomarvel if wickedness then grows impudent and insolent. When the wicked bear rule the people

mourn.”

5. Spurgeon, “Here we return to the fount of bitterness, which first made the psalmist run to thewells of salvation, namely, the prevalence of wickedness. When those in power are vile, theirunderlings will be no better. As a warm sun brings out noxious flies, so does a sinner in honourfoster vice everywhere. Our turf would not so swarm with abominables if those who are styledhonourables did not give their countenance to the craft. Would to God that the glory andtriumph of our Lord Jesus would encourage us to walk and work on every side; as like acts uponlike, since an exalted sinner encourages sinners, our exalted Redeemer must surely excite, cheer,and stimulate his saints. �erved by a sight of his reigning power we shall meet the evils of thetimes in the spirit of holy resolution, and shall the more hopefully pray, "Help, Lord."

6. Treasury of David, “Verse 8. When the vilest men are exalted: Hebrew, vilities, outidanoi theabstract for the concrete, quisquilioe, outidanoi. Oft, empty vessels swim aloft, rotten posts aregilt with adulterate gold, the worst weeds spring up bravest. Chaff will get to the top of the fan,when good corn, as it lieth at the bottom of the heap, so it falls low at the feet of the fanner. Thereason why wicked men walk on every side, are so brisk, so busy (and who but they?) is given tobe this, because losels and rioters were exalted. See Proverbs 28:12,18 29:2. As rheums andcatarrhs fall from the head to the lungs, and cause a consumption of the whole body, so it is in thebody politic. As a fish putrefies first in the head and then in all the parts, so here. Some renderthe text thus, "When they (that is, the wicked) are exalted, it is a "shame for the sons of men,"that other men who better deserve preferment, are not only slighted, but vilely handled by suchworthless ambitionists, who yet the higher they climb, as apes, the more they discover theirdeformities." John Trapp.

Verse 8 Good thus translates this verse: --

Should the wicked advance on every side; Should the dregs of the earth beuppermost?

The original is given literally. (Twlz) means "foeces, foeculences, dregs." (~rk) is here an adverb,and imports uppermost, rather than exalted. J. Mason Good, in loc.