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Psalms 12

BSB·8 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1Helpהוֹשִׁ֣יעָהhō·wō·šî·‘āh — To deliver, rescue, or save from dangerH3467 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, forכִּי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → the godlyחָסִ֑ידḥā·sîḏ — The pious one; one characterized by faithfulness and covenant loyaltyH2623 — Full Word Study → are no moreגָמַ֣רḡā·mar — to complete, finish, or bring to an endH1584 — Full Word Study →; the faithfulאֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים’ĕ·mū·nîm — Faithfulness, reliability, trustworthinessH529 — Full Word Study → have vanishedפַ֥סּוּp̄as·sū — to cease, stop, or pass awayH6461 — Full Word Study → from amongמִבְּנֵ֥יmib·bə·nê — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study → menאָדָֽם׃’ā·ḏām — Man, mankind, human beingH120 — Full Word Study →. 2They lieשָׁ֤וְא׀šāw — falsehood, deception, emptinessH7723 — Full Word Study → toאֶת־’eṯ- — with, together with, againstH854 — Full Word Study → oneאִ֤ישׁ’îš — man, male person, husbandH376 — Full Word Study → anotherרֵ֫עֵ֥הוּrê·‘ê·hū — neighbor, friend, companion, associateH7453 — Full Word Study →; they speakיְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃yə·ḏab·bê·rū — to speak, say, or declareH1696 — Full Word Study → with flatteringחֲלָק֑וֹתḥă·lā·qō·wṯ — Smoothness; flattery; allotment of landH2513 — Full Word Study → lipsשְׂפַ֥תśə·p̄aṯ — Lips; edge, border, or shoreH8193 — Full Word Study → and a double heart. 3May the LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → cut offיַכְרֵ֣תyaḵ·rêṯ — To cut; to make a covenantH3772 — Full Word Study → allכָּל־kāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → flatteringחֲלָק֑וֹתḥă·lā·qō·wṯ — Smoothness; flattery; allotment of landH2513 — Full Word Study → lipsשִׂפְתֵ֣יśip̄·ṯê — Lips; edge, border, or shoreH8193 — Full Word Study → and every boastful tongueלָ֝שׁ֗וֹןlā·šō·wn — Tongue; language; speechH3956 — Full Word Study →. 4Theyאֲשֶׁ֤ר’ă·šer — who, which, that; when, where, becauseH834 — Full Word Study → sayאָֽמְר֨וּ׀’ā·mə·rū — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study →, “With our tonguesלִלְשֹׁנֵ֣נוּlil·šō·nê·nū — Tongue; language; speechH3956 — Full Word Study → we will prevailנַ֭גְבִּירnaḡ·bîr — to be strong, prevail, overcomeH1396 — Full Word Study →. We ownאִתָּ֑נוּ’it·tā·nū — with, together with, againstH854 — Full Word Study → our lipsשְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּśə·p̄ā·ṯê·nū — Lips; edge, border, or shoreH8193 — Full Word Study →whoמִ֖יmî — who? what person?H4310 — Full Word Study → can be our masterאָד֣וֹן’ā·ḏō·wn — Lord, master, owner, rulerH113 — Full Word Study →?” 5For the causeמִשֹּׁ֥דmiš·šōḏ — Violence, destruction, or ruinH7701 — Full Word Study → of the oppressedעֲנִיִּים֮‘ă·nî·yîm — Poor, afflicted, humbleH6041 — Full Word Study → and for the groaningמֵאַנְקַ֪תmê·’an·qaṯ — Groaning, sighing, deep lamentationH603 — Full Word Study → of the needyאֶבְי֫וֹנִ֥ים’eḇ·yō·w·nîm — Poor person in dire needH34 — Full Word Study →, I will nowעַתָּ֣ה‘at·tāh — Now; at the present timeH6258 — Full Word Study → ariseאָ֭קוּם’ā·qūm — To rise, stand, or be establishedH6965 — Full Word Study →,” saysיֹאמַ֣רyō·mar — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →. “I will bringאָשִׁ֥ית’ā·šîṯ — to set, place, or appointH7896 — Full Word Study → safetyבְּ֝יֵ֗שַׁעbə·yê·ša‘ — Salvation, deliverance, safetyH3468 — Full Word Study → to him who yearnsיָפִ֥יחַֽyā·p̄î·aḥ — To breathe out, blow, puff, or utterH6315 — Full Word Study →.” 6The wordsאִֽמֲר֣וֹת’i·mă·rō·wṯ — A spoken word, utterance, or divine sayingH565 — Full Word Study → of the LORDיְהוָה֮Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → are flawlessטְהֹ֫ר֥וֹתṭə·hō·rō·wṯ — Ritually or morally pure; cleanH2889 — Full Word Study →, like silverכֶּ֣סֶףke·sep̄ — Silver; money; price; valueH3701 — Full Word Study → refinedצָ֭רוּףṣā·rūp̄ — to refine, purify, test by fireH6884 — Full Word Study → in a furnaceבַּעֲלִ֣ילba·‘ă·lîl — furnace, kiln, or smelting ovenH5948 — Full Word Study →, like goldלָאָ֑רֶץlā·’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study → purifiedמְ֝זֻקָּ֗קmə·zuq·qāq — To refine or purify by removing impuritiesH2212 — Full Word Study → sevenfoldשִׁבְעָתָֽיִם׃šiḇ·‘ā·ṯā·yim — Seven times; sevenfold multiplication or repetitionH7659 — Full Word Study →. 7Youאַתָּֽה־’at·tāh- — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְהוָ֥הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, will keep usתִּשְׁמְרֵ֑םtiš·mə·rêm — To guard, keep, observe, preserveH8104 — Full Word Study →; You will forever guard usתִּצְּרֶ֓נּוּ׀tiṣ·ṣə·ren·nū — to guard, watch, keep, preserveH5341 — Full Word Study → fromמִן־min- — from, out of, by means ofH4480 — Full Word Study → thisז֣וּzū — This, that (demonstrative pronoun)H2098 — Full Word Study → generationהַדּ֖וֹרhad·dō·wr — generation; age; lifetime; posterityH1755 — Full Word Study →. 8The wickedרְשָׁעִ֥יםrə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study → wanderיִתְהַלָּכ֑וּןyiṯ·hal·lā·ḵūn — to go, walk, travel, proceedH1980 — Full Word Study → freelyסָבִ֗יבsā·ḇîḇ — around, on all sides, encirclingH5439 — Full Word Study →, and vilenessזֻ֝לּ֗וּתzul·lūṯ — vileness, baseness, shameful conductH2149 — Full Word Study → is exaltedכְּרֻ֥םkə·rum — To raise, lift up, exalt; to be highH7311 — Full Word Study → amongלִבְנֵ֥יliḇ·nê — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study → menאָדָֽם׃’ā·ḏām — Man, mankind, human beingH120 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 12
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 12 is a lament that captures the spiritual distress of living in a world marked by dishonesty, pride, and the absence of godly people. The psalmist opens with an urgent cry to the Lord, lamenting that faithful and godly individuals have become scarce (verse 1). The psalm moves from describing the corruption around us—characterized by flattery, lies, and arrogant boasting—to declaring God's certain judgment against such wickedness, and finally to expressing confidence in God's perfect and enduring Word. This psalm resonates with believers in any generation who witness moral decline and long for God's intervention.

Verses 1-2: The Scarcity of the Faithful

The psalmist opens with a desperate appeal: "Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men." This is not a statement of absolute fact but rather a cry born from the perception that godly, trustworthy people seem to be disappearing from view. In verse 2, the reason becomes clear: everyone speaks "vanity" with "flattering lips and with a double heart." The culture of the psalmist's time—and indeed, our own—was characterized by insincerity, manipulation, and hypocrisy. People said one thing to your face while concealing ulterior motives in their hearts. This describes the spiritual loneliness that comes from living authentically for God in a world of pretense.

Application: When you feel isolated in your faith, remember that your sense of loneliness often reflects genuine spiritual perception. Standing for truth in a world of lies can feel like being one of few, but God sees your faithfulness and hears your cry.

Verses 3-4: God's Judgment on the Proud

The tone shifts as the psalmist affirms God's response to such wickedness. "The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things." God will not tolerate the arrogance of those who boast, "With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" These words express the ultimate rebellion—a refusal to acknowledge God's authority. The wicked assume they answer to no one and that their words are their own tools of power. But God, as sovereign ruler, will hold them accountable. The judgment described here is both certain and deserved.

Application: Words reveal the heart. If we find ourselves using flattery, making boastful claims, or denying God's lordship, we should repent and realign our speech with submission to God's authority.

Verses 5-8: God's Promise and His Perfect Word

In verse 5, the psalmist records God's reassuring declaration: "For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD." God hears the cries of the vulnerable and promises deliverance. This is the God of justice who sees what others overlook.

Verses 6-7 then pivot to celebrate God's Word itself: "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." While human words are corrupt and deceptive, God's words are absolutely pure, refined, and trustworthy. The psalmist prays that God will "keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." Even as the wicked prosper temporarily (verse 8), God's Word endures eternally. This is the believer's anchor: not in changing circumstances, but in the unchanging character and promises of God.

Application: In times of moral confusion and cultural decay, fix your confidence not on worldly voices but on God's perfect, eternal Word. Read it, trust it, and share it with coming generations.

Application for Today

Psalm 12 validates the spiritual unease many Christians feel in our current age. Yet it calls us beyond mere complaint to confident faith in God's justice and the permanence of His Word. Whether you feel surrounded by deceit or marginalized for your convictions, this psalm reminds you that God is awake, aware, and actively working. Stand firm in His truth, speak with integrity, and treasure His Word above all earthly voices.

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