Psalm 12: Help for the Faithful

Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. —Psalm 12:1, 2

Psalm 12 is a plea to the Lord for deliverance from those who are deceitful.

Saul, the epitome of a two-faced individual, spoke soothing things to David’s face while scheming to kill him behind his back. “No confidence can be placed in a person who has one heart to speak his words and another heart to conceal his purposes.” David deplored people who felt they were not accountable for their words or the actions their words encouraged.

While feigning friendship, these people slandered, gossiped, and destroyed reputations. But those who use words as weapons will be held accountable.

“Many who admit responsibility for their actions are unwilling to take any responsibility for their words.” However, “by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:37). We shall be judged by our words because they reveal the desires of our hearts. God understands motives and unspoken desires as well as our words, for the Lord looks on the heart. Motives matter! The second half of Psalm 12 expresses faith in God to make all things right in the end. The Lord preserves the righteous, even amid flatterers, oppressors, and liars. “Evildoers abound when those who rule over them are corrupt. Corruption penetrates from rulers to those who are ruled by them. In spite of this realistic close to the poem, the general tenor of the psalm is one of confidence that God will defend the innocent.” One can almost feel David’s sense of betrayal by false friends. Yet his faith in God’s ultimate justice stands firm! “I have a Friend so precious . . . / I love to feel Him nigh, / And so we dwell together, / My Lord and I.”