Psalm 12:7

7 Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us, and shalt preserve us, from this generation, and for ever.

Psalm 12:7 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 12:7

Thou shall keep them, O Lord
Not the words before mentioned, as Aben Ezra explains it, for the affix is masculine and not feminine; not but God has wonderfully kept and preserved the sacred writings; and he keeps every word of promise which he has made; and the doctrines of the Gospel will always continue from one generation to another; but the sense is, that God will keep the poor and needy, and such as he sets in safety, as Kimchi rightly observes: they are not their own keepers, but God is the keeper of them; he keeps them by his power, and in his Son, in whose hands they are, and who is able to keep them from falling; they are kept by him from a total and final falling away; from the dominion and damning power of sin, and from being devoured by Satan, and from the evil of the world: and this the psalmist had good reason to believe, because of the love of God to them, his covenant with them, and the promises of safety and salvation he has made unto them;

thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever;
or "thou shalt preserve him" ^F16; that is, everyone of the poor and needy, from the wicked generation of men in which they live, from being 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" ^F17; and so the following words may be thought to be a reason or argument enforcing the request.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (wnrut) "custodies eum", Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth.
F17 "Custodi eum", Tigurine version, Vatablus, "custodito eorum quemque", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Psalm 12:7 In-Context

5 Because of the misery of the poor, and because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord, I will set them in safety; I will speak to them thereof openly.

6 The oracles of the Lord are pure oracles; as silver tried in the fire, proved in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

7 Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us, and shalt preserve us, from this generation, and for ever.

8 The ungodly walk around: according to thy greatness thou has greatly exalted the sons of men.