1 [[To the chief Musician H5329 upon Sheminith, H8067 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 Help, H3467 LORD; H3068 for the godly man H2623 ceaseth; H1584 for the faithful H539 fail H6461 from among the children H1121 of men. H120
The righteous H6662 perisheth, H6 and no man H376 layeth H7760 it to heart: H3820 and merciful H2617 men H582 are taken away, H622 none considering H995 that the righteous H6662 is taken away H622 from H6440 the evil H7451 to come.
In transgressing H6586 and lying H3584 against the LORD, H3068 and departing away H5253 from H310 our God, H430 speaking H1696 oppression H6233 and revolt, H5627 conceiving H2029 and uttering H1897 from the heart H3820 words H1697 of falsehood. H8267 And judgment H4941 is turned away H5253 backward, H268 and justice H6666 standeth H5975 afar off: H7350 for truth H571 is fallen H3782 in the street, H7339 and equity H5229 cannot H3201 enter. H935 Yea, truth H571 faileth; H5737 and he that departeth H5493 from evil H7451 maketh himself a prey: H7997 and the LORD H3068 saw H7200 it, and it displeased H3415 H5869 him that there was no judgment. H4941
And G2532 because G1223 iniquity G458 shall abound, G4129 the love G26 of many G4183 shall wax cold. G5594
Run ye to and fro H7751 through the streets H2351 of Jerusalem, H3389 and see H7200 now, and know, H3045 and seek H1245 in the broad places H7339 thereof, if ye can find H4672 a man, H376 if there be H3426 any that executeth H6213 judgment, H4941 that seeketh H1245 the truth; H530 and I will pardon H5545 it.
None calleth H7121 for justice, H6664 nor any pleadeth H8199 for truth: H530 they trust H982 in vanity, H8414 and speak H1696 lies; H7723 they conceive H2029 mischief, H5999 and bring forth H3205 iniquity. H205
And God H430 looked H7200 upon the earth, H776 and, behold, it was corrupt; H7843 for all flesh H1320 had corrupted H7843 his way H1870 upon the earth. H776
Woe H480 is me! for I am as when they have gathered H625 the summer fruits, H7019 as the grapegleanings H5955 of the vintage: H1210 there is no cluster H811 to eat: H398 my soul H5315 desired H183 the firstripe fruit. H1063 The good H2623 man is perished H6 out of the earth: H776 and there is none upright H3477 among men: H120 they all lie in wait H693 for blood; H1818 they hunt H6679 every man H376 his brother H251 with a net. H2764
But G1161 when he saw G991 the wind G417 boisterous, G2478 he was afraid; G5399 and G2532 beginning G756 to sink, G2670 he cried, G2896 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 save G4982 me. G3165
[[To the chief Musician H5329 on Neginoth, H5058 Maschil, H4905 A Psalm of David, H1732 when the Ziphims H2130 came H935 and said H559 to Saul, H7586 Doth not David H1732 hide H5641 himself with us?]] Save H3467 me, O God, H430 by thy name, H8034 and judge H1777 me by thy strength. H1369
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 12
Commentary on Psalms 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 12
It is supposed that David penned this psalm in Saul's reign, when there was a general decay of honesty and piety both in court and country, which he here complains of to God, and very feelingly, for he himself suffered by the treachery of his false friends and the insolence of his sworn enemies.
Whether this psalm was penned in Saul's reign or no, it is certainly calculated for a bad reign; and perhaps David, in spirit foresaw that some of his successors would bring things to as bad a pass as is here described, and treasured up this psalm for the use of the church then. "O tempora, O mores!-Oh the times! Oh the manners!'
To the chief musician upon Sheminith. A psalm of David.
Psa 12:1-8
This psalm furnishes us with good thoughts for bad times, in which, though the prudent will keep silent (Amos 5:13) because a man may then be made an offender for a word, yet we may comfort ourselves with such suitable meditations and prayers as are here got ready to our hand.
In singing this psalm, and praying it over, we must bewail the general corruption of manners, thank God that things are not worse than they are, but pray and hope that they will be better in God's due time.