Psalms 12

HElp Or, Save me and other good men, from the Subtilty and Rage of wicked men. Saul will not help us, and other men cannot help: therefore it is a sit season for thee to help. Or, kind, or merciful, as this word is oft used, as Psal 30. 5. and 31. 24. and 86. 2. LORD, for the godly I and my Friends are sorely and causelesly persecuted, banished from our Homes and Friends, and, which is worst of all, from God's Sanctuary, and yet few or none pity us, all Mercy and Humanity is lost. man ceaseth: for the faithful sail Men have lost not only serious Piety, but even common Honesty in their words and dealings with men. from among the children of men.

They speak vanity Or, falshood, which is a vain thing, and wants the solidity of truth. every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips, and with a double heart Pretending one Heart, and that they speak from a kind and upright Heart, when they really have another, even a cruel and deceitful Heart. do they speak.

The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things Or, great things, or great words, either bragging or threatning what they will do, and what great things they will effect, to wit, by their Tongues, as they themselves explain it in the next verse, which they will use so cunningly and powerfully that they shall not need to use their Hands, or strike a Stroke..

Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail By raising and spreading Slaunders and evil Reports concerning him, whereby both Saul will be highly and implacably inraged against David, and the Hearts of the People alienated from him; which was indeed a very likely way to prevail against him, and that by their Tongues only., our lips are our own (i. e.) At our own dispose to speak what we please.: who is Lord over us Who can control or restrain us. This was not the Language of their Mouths, for they were Israelites that owned a God above them, and they were Subjects of Saul, but the Language of their Actions. Scripture oft tells us not only what men do actually say, but what they would say if they durst, or what their Actions mean, as Psal. 94. 7 Mal. 1. 12, 13. and 2. 17. They take as great a liberty in their Speech as if they believed there was no God or Man superiour to them; because neither the fear of God, nor the reverence of Men, can keep them from speaking whatsoever they please, or what they suppose makes for their Interest.?

For the oppression of the poor Oppressed by Saul through the instigation and artifices of his sawning Courtiers., for the sighing of the needy, now Speedily, sooner than they imagine or expect. will I arise (says the LORD) I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him (i. e.) From him that despiseth him, and hopeth to destroy him with a puff of Breath, or a parcel of Words See this Phrase Psal. 10. 5. Only there it is construed with beth and here with lamed; which may make some difference. And the Supplement in our Translation may seem to be large, and not necessary. And the place is, and may be otherwise rendered according to the Hebrew, without any such large Supplement, I will set him (to wit, the needy last mentioned. So it is an Ellipsis of the Pronoun, which is most frequent,) in safety: he (to wit, the Lord mentioned before) shall speak (as this Verb signifies, Prov. 6. 19. and 14. 5. and 19. 5, 9. (i. e.) shall speak comfortably, by a Synecdoche. Or, shall speak plainly, as this Verb is used, Prov. 12. 17. Hab. 2. 3.) to him, (i. e.) to the needy here mentioned. Or, he (i. e.) God, shall speak (to wit, in his wrath, as it is expressed Psal. 2. 5.) to him, who is the cause of his Oppression, of whom he speaks v. 3, 4. Or, shall puff at him, as he used to do at his Enemies, Psal. 10, 5..

The words of the LORD are pure Or, sincere, without the least mixture of Vanity or Falshood; and therefore shall infallibly be fulfilled. This he seems to add to answer an Objection which might arise in some mens Minds concerning what was last said. You tell us, The Lord says, I will set him in safety, &c. But saying and doing are two things. They are so indeed in men, who oft speak rashly what they cannot perform, and deceitfully what they never intend: But all God's words are pure from all manner of Dross; from all Folly, or Fraud, or uncertain, he is holy and true in all his Doctrines, Threatnings, Predictions, and Promises. words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth (i. e.) Made of such Earth or Clay as was proper for, and then usual in that work. See 1. Kings 7. 46., purified seven times.

Thou shalt keep them Either 1. The poor and needy, v. 5. from the Crafts and Malice of this crooked and perverse Generation of men, and for ever. Or 2. thy words or promises last mentioned v. 6. These thou wilst observe and keep (as these two Verbs commonly signify) both now, and from this Generation for ever (i. e.) Thou wilst not only keep thy Promise to me in preserving me, and advancing me to the Throne, but also to my Posterity from Generation to Generation., O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

The wicked walk on every side Which Phrase may note 1. their great numbers, they fill all places. 2. Their Freedom and Safety, they are not restrained nor punished, but go about boldly and securely whither they please. 3. Their Proficiency and Success, which is sometimes signified by this Verb, as Gen. 26. 13. 1. Sam. 2. 21. Isa. 40. 31. They grow worse and worse, and prosper in and by their Wickedness. 4 Their uncessant and unwearied Industry in doing Mischief to good men. Comp. 1. Pet. 5. 8. And this is very fitly here added as another Argument to prevail with God to arise to help his poor people who are oppressed by wicked men., when the vilest men Heb. Vilenesses, (i. e.) all manner of wickedness, lying and slandering, profaneness, oppression, cruelty and the like: Or, vile persons, the abstract being put for the concrete, which is frequent, as pride Psal. 36. 11. for a proud man, and many such like. Both comes to one, vile Persons, and vile practises were both advanced and incouraged through Saul's Misgovernment, whereby all the foundations were destroyed, as he complained, Psal. 11. 3. The Hebrew word zolel (whence this zuloth comes) signifies first a glutton, or drunkard, as Deut. 21. 20. Prov. 23. 21. and thence any vile person, as Ier. 15. 19. Lament. 1. 11. are exalted.