5 For the oppression H7701 of the poor, H6041 for the sighing H603 of the needy, H34 now will I arise, H6965 saith H559 the LORD; H3068 I will set H7896 him in safety H3468 from him that puffeth H6315 at him.
Now will I rise, H6965 saith H559 the LORD; H3068 now will I be exalted; H7426 now will I lift up H5375 myself.
He that oppresseth H6231 the poor H1800 reproacheth H2778 his Maker: H6213 but he that honoureth H3513 him hath mercy H2603 on the poor. H34
And it came to pass in process H1992 H7227 of time, H3117 that the king H4428 of Egypt H4714 died: H4191 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 sighed H584 by reason of H4480 the bondage, H5656 and they cried, H2199 and their cry H7775 came up H5927 unto God H430 by reason of the bondage. H5656 And God H430 heard H8085 their groaning, H5009 and God H430 remembered H2142 his covenant H1285 with Abraham, H85 with Isaac, H3327 and with Jacob. H3290
Behold, G2400 the hire G3408 of the labourers G2040 who G3588 have reaped down G270 your G5216 fields, G5561 which G3588 is of G575 you G5216 kept back by fraud, G650 crieth: G2896 and G2532 the cries G995 of them which have reaped G2325 are entered G1525 into G1519 the ears G3775 of the Lord G2962 of sabaoth. G4519
Which executeth H6213 judgment H4941 for the oppressed: H6231 which giveth H5414 food H3899 to the hungry. H7457 The LORD H3068 looseth H5425 the prisoners: H631 The LORD H3068 openeth H6491 the eyes of the blind: H5787 the LORD H3068 raiseth H2210 them that are bowed down: H3721 the LORD H3068 loveth H157 the righteous: H6662
Arise, H6965 O LORD; H3068 O God, H410 lift up H5375 thine hand: H3027 forget H7911 not the humble. H6035 H6041
And they put away H5493 the strange H5236 gods H430 from among H7130 them, and served H5647 the LORD: H3068 and his soul H5315 was grieved H7114 for the misery H5999 of Israel. H3478
And the LORD H3068 said, H559 I have surely H7200 seen H7200 the affliction H6040 of my people H5971 which are in Egypt, H4714 and have heard H8085 their cry H6818 by reason H6440 of their taskmasters; H5065 for I know H3045 their sorrows; H4341 And I am come down H3381 to deliver H5337 them out of the hand H3027 of the Egyptians, H4714 and to bring H5927 them up out of that land H776 unto a good H2896 land H776 and a large, H7342 unto a land H776 flowing H2100 with milk H2461 and honey; H1706 unto the place H4725 of the Canaanites, H3669 and the Hittites, H2850 and the Amorites, H567 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites. H2983 Now therefore, behold, the cry H6818 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 is come H935 unto me: and I have also seen H7200 the oppression H3906 wherewith the Egyptians H4714 oppress H3905 them.
Rejoice H8055 not against me, O mine enemy: H341 when I fall, H5307 I shall arise; H6965 when I sit H3427 in darkness, H2822 the LORD H3068 shall be a light H216 unto me. I will bear H5375 the indignation H2197 of the LORD, H3068 because I have sinned H2398 against him, until he plead H7378 my cause, H7379 and execute H6213 judgment H4941 for me: he will bring me forth H3318 to the light, H216 and I shall behold H7200 his righteousness. H6666
As for his father, H1 because he cruelly H6233 oppressed, H6231 spoiled H1497 his brother H251 by violence, H1499 and did H6213 that which is not good H2896 among H8432 his people, H5971 lo, even he shall die H4191 in his iniquity. H5771
Hath oppressed H3238 the poor H6041 and needy, H34 hath spoiled H1497 by violence, H1500 hath not restored H7725 the pledge, H2258 and hath lifted up H5375 his eyes H5869 to the idols, H1544 hath committed H6213 abomination, H8441 Hath given forth H5414 upon usury, H5392 and hath taken H3947 increase: H8636 shall he then live? H2425 he shall not live: H2421 he hath done H6213 all these abominations; H8441 he shall surely H4191 die; H4191 his blood H1818 shall be upon him.
And it shall be for a sign H226 and for a witness H5707 unto the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 in the land H776 of Egypt: H4714 for they shall cry H6817 unto the LORD H3068 because H6440 of the oppressors, H3905 and he shall send H7971 them a saviour, H3467 and a great one, H7227 and he shall deliver H5337 them.
If thou seest H7200 the oppression H6233 of the poor, H7326 and violent H1499 perverting of judgment H4941 and justice H6664 in a province, H4082 marvel H8539 not at the matter: H2656 for he that is higher H1364 than the highest H1364 regardeth; H8104 and there be higher H1364 than they. H5921
So I returned, H7725 and considered H7200 all the oppressions H6217 that are done H6213 under the sun: H8121 and behold the tears H1832 of such as were oppressed, H6231 and they had no comforter; H5162 and on the side H3027 of their oppressors H6231 there was power; H3581 but they had no comforter. H5162
Rob H1497 not the poor, H1800 because he is poor: H1800 neither oppress H1792 the afflicted H6041 in the gate: H8179 For the LORD H3068 will plead H7378 their cause, H7379 and spoil H6906 the soul H5315 of those that spoiled H6906 them.
Wherefore should the heathen H1471 say, H559 Where is their God? H430 let him be known H3045 among the heathen H1471 in our sight H5869 by the revenging H5360 of the blood H1818 of thy servants H5650 which is shed. H8210 Let the sighing H603 of the prisoner H615 come H935 before H6440 thee; according to the greatness H1433 of thy power H2220 preserve H3498 thou those that are appointed H1121 to die; H8546
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.