Psalm 12

1 Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.

2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.

4 They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

5 “For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

6 The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.

7 You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us from this generation.

8 The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

← Back: Psalms 11 Continue: Psalms 13 →

Chapter summary

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

The godly man ceaseth and the faithful fail; men speak falsehood with flattering lips and a double heart, saying 'our lips are our own: who is lord over us?' Against that speech stand the words of Jehovah: pure words, as silver tried in a furnace, purified seven times. 'Because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise': Jehovah will keep and preserve his own though the wicked walk on every side.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Poetry · David, Asaph, Sons of Korah, others — Psalms overview

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Isaiah 571 verse
- Isaiah 57:1The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one considers that the righteous are guided from the presence of evil.
- Read Isaiah 57 →
Matthew 241 verse
- Matthew 24:12Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
- Read Matthew 24 →
Jeremiah 51 verse
- Jeremiah 5:1“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem. Look now and take note; search her squares. If you can find a single person, anyone who acts justly, anyone who seeks the truth, then I will forgive the city.
- Read Jeremiah 5 →
Romans 161 verse
- Romans 16:18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
- Read Romans 16 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Jeremiah 91 verse
- Jeremiah 9:8Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.
- Read Jeremiah 9 →
Psalms 411 verse
- Psalms 41:6My visitor speaks falsehood; he gathers slander in his heart; he goes out and spreads it abroad.
- Read Psalms 41 →
Proverbs 181 verse
- Proverbs 18:21Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
- Read Proverbs 18 →
Revelation 131 verse
- Revelation 13:5The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
- Read Revelation 13 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.