Psalm 12
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Summary
The Psalmist speaks against those who use flattery. The words of the Lord, in contrast, are pure and good.
| KJV | JST |
| (1) Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. | (1) In that day thou shalt help, O Lord, the poor and the meek of the earth. For the goodly man shall cease to be found, and the faithful fail from among the children of men. |
| (2) They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. | (2) They shall speak vanity every one with his neighbour. With flattering lips, |
| (3) The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: | (3) But the Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, |
| (4) Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? | (4) Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who shall be lord over us? |
| (5) For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. | (5) Therefore thus saith the Lord, I will arise in that day, I will stand upon the earth and I will judge the earth for the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy. And their cry hath entered into mine ear. Therefore the Lord shall sit in judgement upon all those who say in their hearts, We all sit in safety and puff at him. |
| (6) The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. | (6) These are the words of the Lord, yea, pure words like silver tried in a furnace of earth, tried seven times. |
| (7) Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. | (7) Thou shalt save thy people, O Lord. Thou shalt keep them, thou shalt preserve them from the wickedness of these generations forever. |
| (8) The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted. | (8) The wicked walk on every side and the vilest men are exalted. But in the day of their pride thou shalt visit them. |
Commentary
Bible Central Commentary
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Historical Commentaries
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Historical Settings
Time
*All Dates Are Approximate, according to the narrative of the Bible. These dates may reflect literary significance as opposed to the precise dates of history.
See Biblical Chronology- 979 BC
Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (1706)
Commentary on the Bible
Adam Clarke (1831)
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable
Thomas Constable
Rashi’s Commentary
Rashi (Shlomo Yitzchaki)
Notes on the Bible
Albert Barnes (1834)
Exposition of the Entire Bible
John Gill (1746–63)
Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch (1857–78)
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible
John Wesley (1754–65)