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Psalms 12

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[1]David complaining of the perfidiousness of mankind desireth the help of God: [3]he comforteth himself in the assurance of God's judgments on the wicked, [6]and in the faithfulness of his promises to protect the righteous.

To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.

1. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

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

3. 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?

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.

6. 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.

8. The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

Metrical version

Psalm 12

C.M. Dundee

Help, LORD, because the godly man
doth daily fade away;
And from among the sons of men
the faithful do decay.

Unto his neighbour everyone
doth utter vanity:
They with a double heart do speak,
and lips of flattery.

GOD shall cut off all flatt'ring lips,
tongues that speak proudly thus,
We'll with our tongue prevail, our lips
are ours: who's lord o'er us?

For poor oppressed, and for the sighs
of needy, rise will I,
Saith GOD, and him in safety set
from such as him defy.

The words of GOD are words most pure;
they be like silver tried
In earthen furnace, seven times
that hath been purified.

LORD, thou shalt them preserve and keep
for ever from this race.
On each side walk the wicked, when
vile men are high in place.
In this psalm, which was probably penned during the reign of Saul, observe, (1.) The times rendered extremely bad by the almost universal death of the godly, the general decay of piety and honesty, the common prevalence of dissimulation and flattery; by the proud and daring contempt of God, and oppression of the poor; and by the protection and encouragement of wickedness, by those that bare rule in church or state, ver. 1-4, 8. (2.) Enough in God to balance the evils of the worst of times. He is ready to help. He will in due time reckon with the wicked, and restrain their insolence. He will seasonably and effectually relieve his oppressed people. His words are pure, firm, and faithful; and he will always secure a remnant for himself, ver. 1-5, 6-7.


In evil times, do thou, my soul, live on thy God. Walk humbly with thy God. Hope continually in thy God; and rejoice in his new covenant promises to men - to me.