Psalm 12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 12:8

The wicked walk on every side ,.... Of the poor and needy, of the righteous ones, to watch them, lay snares for them, and hurt them; therefore, Lord, keep and preserve them: the wicked are everywhere in great numbers, the whole world lies in wickedness; and the men of it are like their father the devil, they go about to do all the mischief they can to the saints; wherefore they stand in need continually of divine preservation; when the vilest men are exalted : either to great dignities... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12

The psalmist, destitute of human comfort, craves help from God, Psalm 12:1 ; gives the character of those who surrounded him, and denounces God's judgments against them, Psalm 12:2-5 ; confides in the promises of God, and in his protection of him and all good men, Psalm 12:6-8 . The inscription to this Psalm is: To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. See on the title of Psalm 6:1-10 ; (note): The Arabic has "Concerning the end (of the world which shall happen) on the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:1

Help, Lord - Save me, O Lord; for merciful men fail, and faithful men have passed away from the sons of Adam. Make safe me, Lord; for haly failed, for lessed es sothfastnes fra sons of men. Old MS. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:2

They speak vanity every one with his neighbor - They are false and hollow; they say one thing while they mean another; there is no trusting to what they say. Flattering lips, and with a double heart do they speak - ולב בלב beleb valeb , "With a heart and a heart." They seem to have two hearts; one to speak fair words, and the other to invent mischief. The old MS. both translates and paraphrases curiously. Trans. Dayn spak ilkan til his neghbur: swykil lippis in hert, and thurgh... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:3

Proud things - גדלות gedoloth , great things; great swelling words, both in their promises and in their commendations. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:4

Our lips are our own - Many think, because they have the faculty of speaking, that therefore they may speak what they please. Old MS - The qwilk sayd, our toung we sal wyrchip, our lippes er of us, qwas our Lorde? Tha Ypocrites worchepes thair toung; for that hee tham self janglyng and settes in thaire pouste to do mykil thyng and grete: and thai rose tham that thair lippes that es thair facund and thair wyls er of tham self, nought of God, ne of haly menes lare; for thi that say qua es... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:5

For the oppression of the poor - This seems to refer best to the tribulations which the poor Israelites suffered while captives in Babylon. The Lord represents himself as looking on and seeing their affliction; and, hearing their cry, he determines to come forward to their help. Now will I arise - I alone delivered them into the hands of their enemies, because of their transgressions; I alone can and will deliver them from the hands of their enemies; and the manner of their deliverance... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:6

The words of the Lord are pure words - None of his promises shall fall to the ground; the salvation which he has promised shall be communicated. Silver tried in a furnace of earth - A refer ence to the purification of silver by the cupel. This is a sort of instrument used in the purification of silver. It may be formed out of a strong iron ring or hoop, adjusted in width and depth to the quantum of silver to be purified, and rammed full of well pulverized calcined bone. The metal to be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:7

Thou shalt keep them - thou shalt preserve them - Instead of the pronoun them in these clauses, several MSS., with the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Arabic, have us. The sense is equally good in both readings. God did bring forth the Israelites from Babylon, according to his word; he separated them from that generation. and reinstated them in their own land, according to his word; and most certainly he has preserved them from generation to generation to the present day, in a most... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 12:8

The wicked walk on every side - The land is full of them. When the vilest men are exalted; rather, As villany gains ground among the sons of Adam. See the Hebrew. The Vulgate has, " In circuito impii ambulant; secundum altitudinem tuam multiplicasti filios hominum ;" which is thus translated and paraphrased in my old MS.: - Trans. In umgang wiked gos: eftir thy heenes thu has multiplied the sons of man. read more

Group of Brands