Psalm 12 To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.
Verse 1 Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
King David starts this Psalm with a cry for help because apparently he is feeling alone in his walk with the LORD. As he looks around, he does not see godly people. The Hebrew word translated as “godly” is “chaciyd” and it means faithful, kind, godly, holy one, saint, or pious.
Application: As we look around the Earth today it also appears that most people are wicked and that there are very few good or righteous people left. It can be depressing. But God always has a remnant people and they can be found in every aspect of society. So the converted, Christian believer would do well to pray for those who are godly wherever they may be.
Verses2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
The Hebrew word translated as “vanity” is “shav” and it means emptiness, vanity, falsehood, nothingness, or lying. King David reports that the children of men are lying or not communicating anything of value to each other, that they are using flattery when communicating but that their inner man or soul is false and what they say cannot be trusted.
Verses 3-4 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
However, God will deal with these children of men who are not godly and who are not faithful. He will destroy their words by revealing truth or He will destroy them in His divine timing. Those who are in rebellion against God never think they will fail in their lies and flattering speech as they are proud and refuse to yield to the Lordship of God.
Application: This writer’s favorite saying is, “Everything I have ever been told is a lie.” This is a true statement: history as it has been presented is a lie, the shape of the Earth is a lie, most of science is a lie and scientific “facts” are constantly being changed because over time they are proven incorrect, all of politics is a lie, the news on television, internet and in print is all a lie, much religious dogma and ritual is a lie, and so forth. The only real “truth” is found in the pages of the Bible, plain and simple. But the children of men keep being born into a world full of fakery and they grow up not being able to discern what is true unless they know the LORD Jesus Christ who reveals truth to His followers. All of this deception will come to an end when time is no more and when Jesus returns to this Earth to judge it and to destroy it.
Verse 5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
King David had experienced so much trouble and danger in his life from which the LORD saved him and provided him safety from enemies, that he understood oppression and being in need. The salvation from the LORD that he received over and over again allowed him to pen the words above with confidence.
Application: God will always answer prayer. His people just need to pray until they get an answer. He will always care for His people. Christians need to be like King David and have faith and never doubt.
Verses 6-7 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. \
Application: The “words of the LORD” are Scripture. They encompass all 66 books of the Bible, 39 which were written by the prophets of God during the days of the Old Covenant and which comprise the Old Testament, and 27 which were written by the apostles/disciples of God as recorded in the New Testament books, all of which are now governed by the New Covenant. The entire Bible was penned over a period of 3000 years by people living on three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. The English King James Bible has no errors in it and its message is consistent from Genesis to Revelation. It is the Word of God and it is pure. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, Mark 12:31, and Luke 21:33, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” The KJB is the most attacked Bible in the world by critics and so called Christians who prefer newer versions which water down the Gospel message. But God’s words are perfect and pure and they have been preserved from generation to generation and will be preserved forever.
Verse 8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.
Verse 8 states a fact that has been true since sin entered mankind through Adam and Eve. Wicked men and women who are serving their father the Devil are everywhere throughout the societies of the nations, and if they are in power, their numbers grow as they are protected by those wicked people in high places wielding the weight of unjust laws and military might.