Written by David . Not exactly sure when it was written but it may have been when some men were spreading slanders and evil reports against David to Saul, who then became enraged. People were beginning to become alienated from David.
1 Help, Lord, for the godly are no more (no one is faithful anymore); those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
2 Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts.
3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—
4 those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us—who is our master?” (or who is lord over us?)
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.”
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.
7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked,
8 who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.
SECTIONS:
I Surviving the Propaganda of Depraved Speech (by prayer/petition) (12: 1-4)
II Security in the Protection of Divine Speech (promises, purity, perseverance) 12:5-8)
THEME: The godly man is no more. Or When the vilest of men are exalted. Or The insincerecity of men and the sincerity of God.
QUESTIONS:
What reason do the boastful give for being able to say what they want?
How are the words of God described?
What does the number 7 usually mean when used in the bible?
What does the Lord say?
What protection does the believer have from this evil world we live in?
When God looked down and saw the evil in Noah’s day, what did He wish?
What was the sin of Sodom & Gormorrah?
Psalm 12:1 different bible translations(At times when you study, it’s good to look at different translations.It enriches your study and helps you think more deeply about what is being said. Each description gives deeper meaning.
NIV:Help, Lord for no one is faithful anymore, those who are loyal have vanished from the human race
New Living: Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth.
Good News: Help us Lord, There is not one good person left, honest people can no longer be found.
NET: Deliver Lord! For the godly have disappeared; people of integrity have vanished.
Brenton SeptuagintL Save me O Lord; for the godly man has failed; for truth is diminished from among the children of men.
Douay-Rheims Save me O Lord, for there is now no saint: truths are decayed from among the children of men. oo
Psalm 12:4 different bible translations
New Living Translation: They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?”
Christian Standard Bible: They say “Through our tongues we have power; our lips are our own–who can be our master?
Good News: “With our words we get what we want. We will say what we wish, and no one can stop us.”
NET: They say, “We speak persuasively; we know how to flatter and boast. Who is our master?”
Gods’ Word: They said, “We will overcome with our tongues. With lips such as ours, who can be our master?”
Psalm 12:8 different bible tanslations
New Living: even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.
Berean: The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.
Christian Standard: The wicked prowl all around, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.
Contemporary English: But all who are wicked will keep on strutting, while everyone praises their shameless deeds.
Holman Christian: The wicked wander everywhere, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.
NET: for the wicked seem to be everywhere, when people promote evil
God’s Word: Wicked people parade around when immorality increases among Adam’s descendants.
ADDITIONAL VERSES
Psalm 97:10 He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
James 1:26 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”
John 16:33 Jesus says “ I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:21-22 A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. (what David said to his brothers years after they had sold him into slavery)
1 Peter 1:7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world
Explaining the book.com and Bible-studys.org
Do you see something similar in our own society that David saw in his? Not long ago many states had blue laws which prohibited work on Sunday. Society approved of everyone spending one day a week worshiping God. We had higher values then. A culture soon becomes what it sees being held up as a standard. If righteousness is exalted in a nation, it typically encourages righteousness from its citizens. If a society exalts sinful behavior, it encourages this type of behavior from its people. David cries out, “Where are all the faithful? Have they died? Have they ceased having any faith? It seems like he’s describing our generation. Christians see their numbers and way of life are disappearing. Society has fallen into such a state of degradation today that it seems like the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Noah’s day, God looked down and was sorry that He had ever made man. Is that what he’s thinking now? Elijah also thought he was the only one left who loved and obeyed God. But God told him there were still thousands that had not bowed their knee to Baal. There are still thousands today, who love and obey God, but they’re not in the majority. Many in the church have compromised God’s word. Like David we cry, “Help Lord! APPLICATION: But we must not give up but instead pray and draw strength from God.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 says in the last days we’ll see perilous times. Men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, false accusers, despisers of those that are good, traitors, overs of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” APPLICATION: We’re told to turn away from these people. We’re in the world with evil people, but we must not be influenced by them.
Scripture studies:
Although it isn’t always apparent to us, God does see injustice and oppression, and he acts. If we can’t see God at work in a situation, we mistakenly think that he doesn’t see or care about our suffering, or that he’s powerless to remedy it. But God is in control, working in each circumstance according to his wisdom. As God’s children we will experience suffering, In John 16:33 Jesus says “ I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Sometimes, we suffer so that we won’t cling to the things of this world, but cling to God. Both the righteous and the wicked suffer, but the difference is that God is with us in our sufferings to comfort us and give us strength to go on.
The Bible mentions many ways we can suffer. Paul says “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Paul is suffering mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. When we’re going through many kinds trials, one after the other, it takes a major toll on our spirit. APPLICATION: The book of Job shows two ways we can choose to respond. One is to turn away from God in anger and the other is to draw closer to God and praise him. Sometimes we suffer for weeks, months, or even years. But God is sovereign. He controls all adversity in our lives. That’s why it’s imperative that we believe how very much God loves us. If He allows us to go through this, then He has something good He wants to accomplish in us.
Paul reminds us that our troubles are temporary and prepare us for glory that can’t be compared to anything on earth. Things we see now are transient but God is working for things that are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). It’s natural to want to avoid suffering. But when God brings it in our lives there’s a purpose. It prepares us in a way that a life without suffering never could.
Isaiah 40:11 is a beautiful illustration of this, “He tends his flock like a shepherd; he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart. He gently leads those who have young.”Here, we see a Shepherd who is gentle, loving, and tender He guards the sheep (us) day and night. We also have the assurance of Psalm 23. The Shepherd leads the sheep beside “still” or quiet waters because if there is a strong current sheep could be whisked away and drowned. He makes them lie down so they can get needed rest even when they don’t know that’s what they need in the moment. He makes sure the pasture that they rest in is green and nourishing to them. God treats us the same way. He gives us rest when we need it most, especially the perfect rest we get if we trust him. So many times God keeps us from danger of which we aren’t even aware. And he leads us in paths of righteousness and keeps us from going astray. Sheep are so easily frightened. But God wants us to know his great love and care so that we can trust him and not be scared and overly concerned by the growing evil around us. And even if we may one day walk “through the valley of the shadow of death,” we will not fear for we know that Jesus is with us. We are never alone. He will strengthen and comfort us and get us through our trial, even if it ends ultimately in our death here on earth. No matter what we face, we know we won’t go through this journey alone. We all face many frightening things in this world but we have the hope that is in Jesus and his promises to us.
Jesus says he is the Resurrection and the Life. We never truly die, and neither do our loved ones. Though we grieve for awile we will once again rejoice. Death is not permanent. What is permanent is our eternal life with Jesus, untouched by this world’s sorrows, with lasting joy in his presence. I remember when my beloved aunt who raised me died. At the funeral, they were lowering her casket into the ground. I held onto my husband’s arm tightly because at that moment I felt I would pass out, so strong was my grief. But I heard Jesus say in my spirit, “Becky why do you look for the living among the dead?” I realized in that instant that Jesus was really saying “Why are you so despondant? Your aunt is fine. She’s with me. She’s alive though you can’t see her. She’s not dead even if it appears that way.” Jesus says in the bible, “I am the Resurrection and Life. He who believe in me will never die.” We can bank on that truth. Jesus never lies! But sometimes his truths can be just head knowledge to me. But when I take time to seek him out and listen to him in meditation, that head knowledge works deep within and becomes heart knowledge. It’s a feeling of assurance of the promises and truth he’s given me.
No one in this world lives a life that is free from pain or trials, whether it is sickness, poverty or death. Jesus’ disciples died for their faith and Jesus died for us. Though we don’t like it, the truth is we all will suffer. My aunt used to tell me that as bad as my suffering was there was always someone out there who had it worse than me. I remind myself of that.
But I also remember that sometimes God is growing my faith in suffering. It’s part of his plan too. He wants me to trust him in the good times and the bad, knowing he has a purpose and a plan for me. And suffering will always be part of that plan in our lives, we can’t avoid it. We are not “home” yet. But once we return to Jesus’ arms he will wipe away every tear. Psalm 56:8 says, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” What a beautiful and comforting thought. God sees me when I cry. He collects my tears. He knows what I am going through. And one day, as Revelation 21:4 says, he will wipe away every tear from my eyes. There will be no more good-byes at grave sites for those we have lost. No more pain for those who are abused and victimized because these former things of this world will be no more!
SONG: Children of the Heavenly Father, Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet, God of Grace and God of Glory, Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us, Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus