Psalms 12:1-7

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 neighbor; 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, we will 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.

Psalms 12:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, a Psalm of David. The word "sheminith" is used in the title of Psalm 6:1, and signifies "eighth"; and intends either the eighth note, to which the psalm was sung, or rather the harp of eight chords, to which it was set, as the Targum and Jarchi interpret it. Some Jewish writers {y} understand it of the times of the Messiah; and the Syriac version entitles the psalm, "an accusation of the wicked, and a prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah:" and the Arabic version says, it is concerning the end of the world, which shall be in the eighth day; and concerning the coming of the Messiah: but Arnobius interprets it of the Lord's day.

{y} Sepher Lekach Shechachah apud Caphtor, fol. 64. 1. & Ceseph Misnah in Maimon. Hilch. Teshuvah, c. 9.