Psalms 12:1

1. Help, Lord The call is abrupt, impassioned, and universal. The verb has no object, because the evil is not local and personal, but general.

The godly man ceaseth Better, the merciful man ceaseth; exactly parallel to Micah 7:2: “The good man is perished out of the earth.” The earth is given up to violence and rapine. On the use of חסיד , ( hhasid,) godly, merciful, see on Psalms 4:3; Psalms 86:2.

The faithful Literally, the amen people. Those who believe and speak the truth and keep their word. Men have ceased to regulate their conduct one with another by the law of kindness and truth. Compare the complaint of Elijah, 1Ki 19:10 ; 1 Kings 19:14.

Children of men Sons of Adam, a designation of an earthborn, degenerate race, as opposed to “sons of God.”