Psalms 12 commentary

This psalm furnishes good thoughts for bad times; a man may comfort himself with such meditations and prayers. Let us see what makes the times bad, and when they may be said to be so. Ask the children of this world, What makes the times bad? they will tell you, Scarcity of money, decay of trade, and the desolations of war, make the times bad: but the Scripture lays the badness of the times on causes of another nature, 2Ti 3:1, etc.: perilous times shall come, for sin shall abound; and of this David complains. When piety decays times really are bad. He who made man's mouth will call him to an account for his proud, profane, dissembling, or even useless words. When the poor and needy are oppressed, then the times are very bad. God himself takes notice of the oppression of the poor, and the sighing of the needy. When wickedness abounds, and is countenanced by those in authority, then the times are very bad. See with what good things we are here furnished for such bad times; and we cannot tell what times we may be reserved for. 1. We have a God to go to, from whom we may ask and expect the redress of all our grievances. 2. God will certainly punish and restrain false and proud men. 3. God will work deliverance for his oppressed people. His help is given in the fittest time. Though men are false, God is faithful; though they are not to be trusted, God is. The preciousness of God's word is compared to silver refined to the highest degree. How many proofs have been given of its power and truth! God will secure his chosen remnant, however bad the times are. As long as the world stands, there will be a generation of proud and wicked men. But all God's people are put into the hands of Christ our Saviour; there they are in safety, for none can pluck them thence; being built on Him, the Rock, they are safe, notwithstanding temptation or persecution come with ever so much force upon them.

PSALM 12.

David, deploring the wretched and forlorn condition of his people, and the utter overthrow of good order, beseeches God to afford them speedy relief. Then, in order to comfort both himself and all the godly, after having mentioned God’s promise of assisting his people, he magnifies his faithfulness and constancy in performing his promises. From this he concludes, that at length God will deliver the godly, even when the world may be in a state of the greatest corruption. “Voire au temps mesmes qu’il n’y aura roy ni equite au monde.” — Fr. “Even when there is neither faith nor equity in the world.”

To the chief musician upon the eighth. A song of David.

Psalm 12:1-2

1. Save me, O Jehovah; for the merciful man hath failed, and the faithful are wasted away from among the children of men, 2. Every one speaketh deceit [or falsehood] with his neighbor; they speak with lips of flattery, with a double heart. Calvin’s words literally rendered are, with a heart and a heart, and this is a very literal translation of the Hebrew words בלב ולב, be-leb va-leb. On the margin of the French version, he reads, “De coeur double,” “with a double heart,” which explains the meaning of the other phrase. “With a heart and a heart,” is a form of expression which forcibly describes the character of deceitful men. “They seem to have two hearts,” says Dr Adam Clarke, “one to speak fair words, and the other to invent mischief.”

To the chief musician upon the eighth. With respect to the word eighth, there are two opinions among interpreters. According to some, it means a musical instrument; while others are rather inclined to think that it is a tune. But as it is of no great importance which of these opinions is adopted, I do not trouble myself much about this matter. The conjecture of some, that it was the beginning of a song, does not seem to me to be so probable as that it refers to the tune, and was intended to point out how the psalm was to be sung. “Et que c’est pour exprimer comment se devoir chanter le pseaume.” — Fr. In the commencement David complains that the land was so overspread with wicked men, and persons who had broken forth into the commission of every kind of wickedness, that the practice of righteousness and justice had ceased, and none was found to defend the cause of the good; in short, that there remained no longer either humanity or faithfulness. It is probable that the Psalmist here speaks of the time when Saul persecuted him, because then all, from the highest to the lowest, had conspired to destroy an innocent and an afflicted man. It is a thing very distressing to relate, and yet it was perfectly true, that righteousness was so utterly overthrown among the chosen people of God, that all of them, with one consent, from their hostility to a good and just cause, had broken forth into acts of outrage and cruelty. David does not here accuse strangers or foreigners, but informs us that this deluge of iniquity prevailed in the Church of God. Let the faithful, therefore in our day, not be unduly discouraged at the melancholy sight of a very corrupt and confused state of the world; but let them consider that they ought to bear it patiently, seeing their condition is just like that of David in time past. And it is to be observed, that, when David calls upon God for succor, he encourages himself in the hope of obtaining it from this, that there was no uprightness among men; so that from his example we may learn to betake ourselves to God when we see nothing around us but black despair. We ought to be fully persuaded of this, that the greater the confusion of things in the world is, God is so much the readier to aid and succor his people, “Tant plus Dieu est prest d’aider et secourir les siens.” — Fr. and that it is then the most proper season for him to interpose his assistance.

1. The merciful man hath failed. Some think that this is a complaint that the righteous had been unjustly put to death; as if the Psalmist had said, Saul has cruelly cut off all who observed justice and faithfulness. But I would understand the words in a simpler sense, as meaning that there is no longer any beneficence or truth remaining among men. He has expressed in these two words in what true righteousness consists. As there are two kinds of unrighteousness, violence and deceit; so men live righteously when, in their intercourse with each other, they conscientiously abstain from doing any wrong or injury to one another, and cultivate peace and mutual friendship; when they are neither lions nor foxes. When, however, we see the world in such a state of disorder as is here described, and are afflicted thereby, we ought to be careful not to howl with the wolves, nor to suffer ourselves to be carried away with the dissipation and overflowing flood of iniquity which we see prevailing around us, but should rather imitate the example of David.

PSALM 12

Psa 12:1-8. On title, see Introduction and see on Psa 6:1. The Psalmist laments the decrease of good men. The pride and deceit of the wicked provokes God's wrath, whose promise to avenge the cause of pious sufferers will be verified even amidst prevailing iniquity.

1. the faithful--or literally, "faithfulness" (Psa 31:23).

2. The want of it is illustrated by the prevalence of deceit and instability.

3-4. Boasting (Da 7:25) is, like flattery, a species of lying.

lips, and ... tongue--for persons.

5. The writer intimates his confidence by depicting God's actions (compare Psa 9:19; 10:12) as coming to save the poor at whom the wicked sneer (Psa 10:5).

6. The words--literally, "saying of" (Psa 12:5).

seven times--thoroughly (Da 3:19).

7. them--(Margin.)

8. The wicked roam undisturbed doing evil, when vileness and vile men are exalted.

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.

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 - בלב ולב 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 hert thai spak.

Par - Sothfastnes es lessed, and falsed waxes: and al sa vayn spak ilkone to bygyle his neghbur: and many spendes thair tyme in vayne speche withoutyn profyte and gastely frute. And that er swyku lippis; that er jangelers berkand ogaynes sothfastnes. And swykel, for thai speke in hert and thurgh hert; that es in dubil hert, qwen a fals man thynkes ane, and sais another, to desaif hym that he spekes with.

This homely comment cannot be mended.

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

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 our Lord? that es, qwat es he to qwas rewle and conversacioun we sal be undir lout? and confourme us til? Als so to say, That es none.

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 shall show the power and influence of their God.

From him that puffeth at him - Here is much interpolation to make out a sense. Several of the versions read, "I will give him an open salvation." My work shall be manifest.

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 purified must be mingled with lead, and laid on the cupel, and exposed to a strong heat in an air furnace. The impurities of the metal will be partly absorbed, and partly thrown off in fume. The metal will continue in a state of agitation till all the impurities are thrown off; it will then become perfectly still, no more motion appearing, which is the token that the process is completed, or, according to the words of the text, is seven times, that is, perfectly purified.

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 remarkable manner.

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.

Par - Us thy kepes; bot wiked gas in umgang; that es, in covatyng of erdley gudes, that turned with the whele of seven daies: in the qwilk covatys, thai ryn ay aboute; for that sett nane endyng of thaire syn: and tharfor settes God na terme of thair pyne, but sons of men that lyfs skilwisly and in ryghtwisnes, thu has multiplied, aftir thi heghnes in vertus; aftir the heghnes of thi consayll, thou hast multiplied men bath il and gude; for na man may perfitely witt in erd, qwy God makes so many men, the qwilk he wote well sal be dampned: bot it es the privete of his counsayle, so ryghtwis, that no thyng may be ryghtwiser.

In this we find a number of singular exrpressions, which, while they elucidate the text, will not be uninteresting to the antiquary. Here, for instance, we see the true etymology of the words righteous and righteousness, i.e., right wise and right wiseness. For we have it above as a noun, "rightwisnes": as an adjective, "rightwis"; and as an adjective in the comparative degree, "rightwiser": and we should have had it as an adverb, ryghtwisely, had not the word "skilwisly" occurred to the author.

Righteousness is right wiseness, or that which is according to true wisdom. A righteous man is one who is right wise; properly instructed in Divine wisdom, and acts according to its dictates; and among them who act rightwisely, there are some who act rightwiser than others; and nothing can be rightwiser than ever to think and act according to the principles of that wisdom which comes from above.

Right, rectus, straight, is opposed to wrong, from injury, and that from to twist. As rehtan signifies to direct, so wrangen signifies to twist, or turn out of a straight or direct line. Right is straight, and wrong, crooked. Hence the righteous man is one who goes straight forward, acts and walks by line and rule; and the unrighteous is he who walks in crooked paths, does what is wrong, and is never guided by true wisdom. Such a person is sometimes termed wicked, from the Anglo-Saxon to act by witch-craft, (hence wicca, a witch), that is to renounce God and righteousness, and to give one's self to the devil, which is the true character of a wicked man. Let him that readeth understand.

The vilest men are exalted - Were we to take this in its obvious sense, it would signify that at that time wickedness was the way to preferment, and that good men were the objects of persecution.

Prevail - By raising and spreading evil reports concerning him. Our own - At our own disposal to speak what we please, who can control or restrain us?

Puffeth - From him that despises him, and hopes to destroy him with a puff of breath.

Pure - Without the least mixture of falsehood; and therefore shall infallibly be fulfilled.

Thou shalt keep them - Thy words or promises: these thou wilt observe and keep, both now, and from this generation for ever.

Walk - They fill all places, and go about boldly and securely.

1. HElp LORD, for the godly man ceaseth: for the faithful sail from among the children of men.

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.

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.

Men have lost not only serious Piety, but even common Honesty in their words and dealings with men.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word] ▪; [illegible: 1 word]. 5[illegible: 1+ letters]. 1.

2. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips, and with a double heart do they speak.

Or, falshood, which is a vain thing, and wants the solidity of truth.

Pretending one Heart, and that they speak from a kind and upright Heart, when they really have another, even a cruel and deceitful Heart.

Marginal references: Psal. 28. 3.; Heb. a[illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word] an hea[illegible: 1+ letters]t.

3. 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.

Marginal references: Heb. great things.

4. Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail , our lips are our own : who is Lord over us ?

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.

(i. e.) At our own dispose to speak what we please.

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.

Marginal references: Heb. are with 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 .

Oppressed by Saul through the instigation and artifices of his sawning Courtiers.

Speedily, sooner than they imagine or expect.

(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.

Marginal references: Or, would en [illegible: 1+ letters].

6. The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth , purified seven times.

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 saith, 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.

(i. e.) Made of such Earth or Clay as was proper for, and then usual in that work. See 1. Kings 7. 46.

Marginal references: 2. Sam▪ 22▪ 31. Psal. 18. 30. [illegible: 1+ letters] 119. 140. Prov. 30. 5▪

7. Thou shalt keep them , O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

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.

Marginal references: Heb. him, That is▪ every [illegible: 1 word] of them.

8. The wicked walk on every side , when the vilest men are exalted.

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.

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.

Marginal references: Heb. the vil [illegible: 1+ letters] of the sons of [illegible: 1 word] are exalted.

Lament and Consolation in the Midst of Prevailing Falsehood

Psa 11:1-7 is appropriately followed by Psa 12:1-8, which is of a kindred character: a prayer for the deliverance of the poor and miserable in a time of universal moral corruption, and more particularly of prevailing faithlessness and boasting. The inscription: To the Precentor, on the Octave, a Psalm of David points us to the time when the Temple music was being established, i.e., the time of David - incomparably the best age in the history of Israel, and yet, viewed in the light of the spirit of holiness, an age so radically corrupt. The true people of Jahve were even then, as ever, a church of confessors and martyrs, and the sighing for the coming of Jahve was then not less deep than the cry “Come, Lord Jesus!” at the present time.

This Psa 12:1-8 together with Psa 2:1-12 is a second example of the way in which the psalmist, when under great excitement of spirit, passes over into the tone of one who directly hears God’s words, and therefore into the tone of an inspired prophet. Just as lyric poetry in general, as being a direct and solemn expression of strong inward feeling, is the earliest form of poetry: so psalm-poetry contains in itself not only the mashal, the epos, and the drama in their preformative stages, but prophecy also, as we have it in the prophetic writings of its most flourishing period, has, as it were, sprung from the bosom of psalm-poetry. It is throughout a blending of prophetical epic and subjective lyric elements, and is in many respects the echo of earlier psalms, and even in some instances (as e.g., Isa 12:1-6; Hab 3:1) transforms itself into the strain of a psalm. Hence Asaph is called החזה in 2Ch 29:30, not from the special character of his Psalms, but from his being a psalmist in general; for Jeduthun has the same name given to him in 2Ch 35:15, and נבּא in 1Ch 25:2. (cf. προφητεύειν, Luk 1:67) is used directly as an epithet for psalm-singing with accompaniment-a clear proof that in prophecy the co-operation of a human element is no less to be acknowledged, that the influence of a divine element in psalm-poesy.

The direct words of Jahve, and the psalmist’s Amen to them, form the middle portion of this Psalm-a six line strophe, which is surrounded by four line strophes. \ v 2 Psa 12:1-2 (Heb.: 12:2-3) The sigh of supplication, הושׁיעה, has its object within itself: work deliverance, give help; and the motive is expressed by the complaint which follows. The verb גּמר to complete, means here, as in Psa 7:10, to have an end; and the ἁπ. λεγ. פּסס is equivalent to אפס in Psa 77:9, to come to the extremity, to cease. It is at once clear from the predicate being placed first in the plur., that אמוּנים in this passage is not an abstractum, as e.g., in Pro 13:17; moreover the parallelism is against it, just as in Pro 31:24. חסיד is the pious man, as one who practises חסד towards God and man. אמוּן, primary form אמוּן (plur. אמונים; whereas from אמוּן we should expect אמוּנים), - used as an adjective (cf. on the contrary Deu 32:20) here just as in Pro 31:24, 2Sa 20:19, - is the reliable, faithful, conscientious man, literally one who is firm, i.e., whose word and meaning is firm, so that one can rely upon it and be certain in relation to it.The Aryan root man to remain, abide (Neo-Persic mânden), also takes a similar course, signifying usually “to continue in any course, wait, hope.” So the old Persic man, Zend upaman, cf. μένειν with its derivatives which are applied in several ways in the New Testament to characterise πίστις.

We find similar complaints of the universal prevalence of wickedness in Mic 7:2; Isa 57:1; Jer 7:28, and elsewhere. They contain their own limitation. For although those who complain thus without pharisaic self-righteousness would convict themselves of being affected by the prevailing corruption, they are still, in their penitence, in their sufferings for righteousness’ sake, and in their cry for help, a standing proof that humanity has not yet, without exception, become a massa perdita. That which the writer especially laments, is the prevailing untruthfulness. Men speak שׁוא (= שׁוא from שׁוא), desolation and emptiness under a disguise that conceals its true nature, falsehood (Psa 41:7), and hypocrisy (Job 35:13), ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ (lxx, cf. Eph 4:25, where the greatness of the sin finds its confirmation according to the teaching of the New Testament: ὅτι ἐσμὲν ἀλλήλων μέλη). They speak lips of smoothnesses (חלקות, plural from חלקה, laevitates, or from חלק, laevia), i.e., the smoothest, most deceitful language (accusative of the object as in Isa 19:18) with a double heart, inasmuch, namely, as the meaning they deceitfully express to others, and even to themselves, differs from the purpose they actually cherish, or even (cf. 1Ch 12:33 בלא לב ולב, and Jam 1:8 δίψυχος, wavering) inasmuch as the purpose they now so flatteringly put forth quickly changes to the very opposite.

Psa 12:3-4 (Heb.: 12:4-5) In this instance the voluntative has its own proper signification: may He root out (cf. Psa 109:15, and the oppositive Psa 11:6). Flattering lips and a vaunting tongue are one, insofar as the braggart becomes a flatterer when it serves his own selfish interest. אשׁר refers to lips and tongue, which are put for their possessors. The Hiph. הגבּיר may mean either to impart strength, or to give proof of strength. The combination with ל, not בּ, favours the former: we will give emphasis to our tongue (this is their self-confident declaration). Hupfeld renders it, contrary to the meaning of the Hiph.: over our tongue we have power, and Ewald and Olshausen, on the ground of an erroneous interpretation of Dan 9:27, render: we make or have a firm covenant with our tongue. They describe their lips as being their confederates (את as in 2Ki 9:32), and by the expression “who is lord over us” they declare themselves to be absolutely free, and exalted above all authority. If any authority were to assert itself over them, their mouth would put it down and their tongue would thrash it into submission. But Jahve, whom this making of themselves into gods challenges, will not always suffer His own people to be thus enslaved.

Psa 12:5-6 (Heb.: 12:6-7) In Psa 12:6 the psalmist hears Jahve Himself speak; and in Psa 12:7 he adds his Amen. The two מן in Psa 12:6 denote the motive, עתּה the decisive turning-point from forebearance to the execution of judgment, and ימר the divine determination, which has just now made itself audible; cf. Isaiah’s echo of it, Isa 33:10. Jahve has hitherto looked on with seeming inactivity and indifference, now He will arise and place in ישׁע, i.e., a condition of safety (cf. שׂים בּחיּים Psa 66:9), him who languishes for deliverance. It is not to be explained: him whom he, i.e., the boaster, blows upon, which would be expressed by יפיח בּו, cf. Psa 10:5; but, with Ewald, Hengstenberg, Olshausen, and Böttcher, according to Hab 2:3, where הפיח ל occurs in the sense of panting after an object: him who longs for it. יפיח is, however, not a participial adjective = יפח, but the fut., and יפיח לו is therefore a relative clause occupying the place of the object, just as we find the same thing occurring in Job 24:19; Isa 41:2, Isa 41:25, and frequently. Hupfeld’s rendering: “in order that he may gain breath (respiret)” leaves אשׁית without an object, and accords more with Aramaic and Arabic than with Hebrew usage, which would express this idea by ינוּח לו or ירוח לו.

In Psa 12:7 the announcement of Jahve is followed by its echo in the heart of the seer: the words (אמרות instead of אמרות by changing the Shebâ which closes the syllable into an audible one, as e.g., in אשׁרי) of Jahve are pure words, i.e., intended, and to be fulfilled, absolutely as they run without any admixture whatever of untruthfulness. The poetical אמרה (after the form זמרה) serves pre-eminently as the designation of the divine power-words of promise. The figure, which is indicated in other instances, when God’s word is said to be צרוּפה (Psa 18:31; Psa 119:140; Pro 30:5), is here worked out: silver melted and thus purified בּעליל לארץ. עליל signifies either a smelting-pot from עלל, Arab. gll, immittere, whence also על (Hitz.); or, what is more probable since the language has the epithets כוּר and מצרף for this: a workshop, from עלל, Arab. ‛ll , operari (prop. to set about a thing), first that which is wrought at (after the form מעיל, פּסיל, שׁביל), then the place where the work is carried on. From this also comes the Talm. בּעליל = בּעליל manifeste, occurring in the Mishna Rosh ha-Shana 1. 5 and elsewhere, and which in its first meaning corresponds to the French en effet.On this word with reference to this passage of the Psalm vid., Steinschneider’s Hebr. Bibliographie 1861, S. 83.

According to this, the ל in לארץ is not the ל of property: in a fining-pot built into the earth, for which לארץ without anything further would be an inadequate and colourless expression. But in accordance with the usual meaning of לארץ as a collateral definition it is: smelted (purified) down to the earth. As Olshausen observes on this subject, “Silver that is purified in the furnace and flows down to the ground can be seen in every smelting hut; the pure liquid silver flows down out of the smelting furnace, in which the ore is piled up.” For it cannot be ל of reference: “purified with respect to the earth,” since ארץ does not denote the earth as a material and cannot therefore mean an earthy element. We ought then to read לאבץ, which would not mean “to a white brilliancy,” i.e., to a pure bright mass (Böttch.), but “with respect to the stannum, lead” (vid., on Isa 1:25). The verb זקק to strain, filter, cause to ooze through, corresponds to the German seihen, seigen, old High German sihan, Greek σακκεῖν (σακκίζειν), to clean by passing through a cloth as a strainer, שׂק. God’s word is solid silver smelted and leaving all impurity behind, and, as it were, having passed seven times through the smelting furnace, i.e., the purest silver, entirely purged from dross. Silver is the emblem of everything precious and pure (vid., Bähr, Symbol. i. 284); and seven is the number indicating the completion of any process (Bibl. Psychol. S. 57, transl. p. 71).

Psa 12:7-8 (Heb.: 12:8-9) The supplicatory complaint contained in the first strophe has passed into an ardent wish in the second; and now in the fourth there arises a consolatory hope based upon the divine utterance which was heard in the third strophe. The suffix eem in Psa 12:8 refers to the miserable and poor; the suffix ennu in Psa 12:8 (him, not: us, which would be pointed תצרנוּ, and more especially since it is not preceded by תשׁמרנוּ) refers back to the man who yearns for deliverance mentioned in the divine utterance, Psa 12:6. The “preserving for ever” is so constant, that neither now nor at any future time will they succumb to this generation. The oppression shall not become a thorough depression, the trial shall not exceed their power of endurance. What follows in Psa 12:8 is a more minute description of this depraved generation. דּור is the generation whole and entire bearing one general character and doing homage to the one spirit of the age (cf. e.g., Pro 30:11-14, where the characteristics of a corrupt age are portrayed). זוּ (always without the article, Ew. §293, a) points to the present and the character is has assumed, which is again described here finally in a few outlines of a more general kind than in Psa 12:3. The wicked march about on every side (התחלּך used of going about unopposed with an arrogant and vaunting mien), when (while) vileness among ()ל the children of men rises to eminence (רוּם as in Pro 11:11, cf. משׁל Pro 29:2), so that they come to be under its dominion. Vileness is called זלּוּת from זלל (cogn. דּלל) to be supple and lax, narrow, low, weak and worthless. The form is passive just as is the Talm. זילוּת (from זיל = זליל), and it is the epithet applied to that which is depreciated, despised, and to be despised; here it is the opposite of the disposition and conduct of the noble man, נדיב, Isa 32:8, - a baseness which is utterly devoid not only of all nobler principles and motives, but also of all nobler feelings and impulses. The כּ of כּרם is not the expression of simultaneousness (as e.g., in Pro 10:25): immediately it is exalted - for then Psa 12:8 would give expression to a general observation, instead of being descriptive - but כּרם is equivalent to בּרם, only it is intentionally used instead of the latter, to express a coincidence that is based upon an intimate relation of cause and effect, and is not merely accidental. The wicked are puffed up on all sides, and encompass the better disposed on every side as their enemies. Such is the state of things, and it cannot be otherwise at a time when men allow meanness to gain the ascendency among and over them, as is the case at the present moment. Thus even at last the depressing view of the present prevails in the midst of the confession of a more consolatory hope. The present is gloomy. But in the central hexastich the future is lighted up as a consolation against this gloominess. The Psalm is a ring and this central oracle is its jewel.

Complaints of the Times.

1 Help, Lord ; for the godly man ceaseth; for 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. 3 The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is 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. 6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord , thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. 8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

This psalm furnishes us with good thoughts for bad times, in which, though the prudent will keep silent (Amos v. 13) because a man may then be made an offender for a word, yet we may comfort ourselves with such suitable meditations and prayers as are here got ready to our hand.

I. Let us see here what it is that makes the times bad, and when they may be said to be so. Ask the children of this world what it is in their account that makes the times bad, and they will tell you, Scarcity of money, decay of trade, and the desolations of war, make the times bad. But the scripture lays the badness of the times upon causes of another nature. 2 Tim. iii. 1, Perilous times shall come, for iniquity shall abound; and that is the thing David here complains of.

1. When there is a general decay of piety and honesty among men the times are then truly bad (v. 1): When the godly man ceases and the faithful fail. Observe how these two characters are here put together, the godly and the faithful. As there is no true policy, so there is no true piety, without honesty. Godly men are faithful men, fast men, so they have sometimes been called; their word is as confirming as their oath, as binding as their bond; they make conscience of being true both to God and man. They are here said to cease and fail, either by death or by desertion, or by both. Those that were godly and faithful were taken away, and those that were left had sadly degenerated and were not what they had been; so that there were few or no good people that were Israelites indeed to be met with. Perhaps he meant that there were no godly faithful men among Saul's courtiers; if he meant there were few or none in Israel, we hope he was under the same mistake that Elijah was, who thought he only was left alone, when God had 7000 who kept their integrity (Rom. xi. 3); or he meant that there were few in comparison; there was a general decay of religion and virtue (and the times are bad, very bad, when it is so), not a man to be found that executes judgment, Jer. v. 1.

2. When dissimulation and flattery have corrupted and debauched all conversation, then the times are very bad (v. 2), when men are generally so profligate that they make no conscience of a lie, are so spiteful as to design against their neighbours the worst of mischiefs, and yet so base as to cover the design with the most specious and plausible pretences and professions of friendship. Thus they speak vanity (that is, falsehood and a lie) every one to his neighbour, with flattering lips and a double heart. They will kiss and kill (as Joab did Abner and Amasa in David's own time), will smile in your face and cut your throat. This is the devil's image complete, a complication of malice and falsehood. The times are bad indeed when there is no such thing as sincerity to be met with, when an honest man knows not whom to believe nor whom to trust, nor dares put confidence in a friend, in a guide, Mic. vii. 5, 6; Jer. ix. 4, 5. Woe to those who help to make the times thus perilous.

3. When the enemies of God, and religion, and religious people, are impudent and daring, and threaten to run down all that is just and sacred, then the times are very bad, when proud sinners have arrived at such a pitch of impiety as to say, "With our tongue will we prevail against the cause of virtue; our lips are our own and we may say what we will; who is lord over us, either to restrain us or to call us to an account?" v. 4. This bespeaks, (1.) A proud conceit of themselves and confidence in themselves, as if the point were indeed gained by eating forbidden fruit, and they were as gods, independent and self-sufficient, infallible in their knowledge of good and evil and therefore fit to be oracles, irresistible in their power and therefore fit to be lawgivers, that could prevail with their tongues, and, like God himself, speak and it is done. (2.) An insolent contempt of God's dominion as if he had no propriety in them—Our lips are our own (an unjust pretension, for who made man's mouth, in whose hand is his breath, and whose is the air he breathes in?) and as if he had no authority either to command them or to judge them: Who is Lord over us? Like Pharaoh, Exod. v. 1. This is as absurd and unreasonable as the former; for he in whom we live, and move, and have our being, must needs be, by an indisputable title, Lord over us.

4. When the poor and needy are oppressed, and abused, and puffed at, then the times are very bad. This is implied (v. 5) where God himself takes notice of the oppression of the poor and the sighing of the needy; they are oppressed because they are poor, have all manner of wrong done them merely because they are not in a capacity to right themselves. Being thus oppressed, they dare not speak for themselves, lest their defence should be made their offence; but they sigh, secretly bemoaning their calamities, and pouring out their souls in sighs before God. If their oppressors be spoken to on their behalf, they puff at them, make light of their own sin and the misery of the poor, and lay neither to heart; see Ps. x. 5.

5. When wickedness abounds, and goes barefaced, under the protection and countenance of those in authority, then the times are very bad, v. 8. When the vilest men are exalted to places of trust and power (who, instead of putting the laws in execution against vice and injustice and punishing the wicked according to their merits, patronise and protect them, give them countenance, and support their reputation by their own example), then the wicked walk on every side; they swarm in all places, and go up and down seeking to deceive, debauch, and destroy others; they are neither afraid nor ashamed to discover themselves; they declare their sin as Sodom and there is none to check or control them. Bad men are base men, the vilest of men, and they are so though they are ever so highly exalted in this world. Antiochus the illustrious the scripture calls a vile person, Dan. xi. 21. But it is bad with a kingdom when such are preferred; no marvel if wickedness then grows impudent and insolent. When the wicked bear rule the people mourn.

II. Let us now see what good thoughts we are here furnished with for such bad times; and what times we may yet be reserved for we cannot tell. When times are thus bad it is comfortable to think,

1. That we have a God to go to, from whom we may ask and expect the redress of all our grievances. This he begins with (v. 1): "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth. All other helps and helpers fail; even the godly and faithful, who should lend a helping hand to support the dying cause of religion, are gone, and therefore whither shall we seek but to thee?" Note, When godly faithful people cease and fail it is time to cry, Help, Lord! The abounding of iniquity threatens a deluge. "Help, Lord, help the virtuous; few seek to hold fast their integrity, and to stand in the gap; help to save thy own interest in the world from sinking. It is time for thee, Lord, to work."

2. That God will certainly reckon with false and proud men, and will punish and restrain their insolence. They are above the control of men and set them at defiance. Men cannot discover the falsehood of flatterers, nor humble the haughtiness of those that speak proud things; but the righteous God will cut off all flattering lips, that give the traitor's kiss and speak words softer then oil when war is in the heart; he will pluck out the tongue that speaks proud things against God and religion, v. 3. Some translate it as a prayer, "May God cut off those false and spiteful lips." Let lying lips be put to silence.

3. That God will, in due time, work deliverance for his oppressed people, and shelter them from the malicious designs of their persecutors (v. 5): Now, will I arise, saith the Lord. This promise of God, which David here delivered by the spirit of prophecy, is an answer to that petition which he put up to God by the spirit of prayer. "Help, Lord," says he; "I will," says God; "here I am, with seasonable and effectual help." (1.) It is seasonable, in the fittest time. [1.] When the oppressors are in the height of their pride and insolence—when they say, Who is lord over us?—then is God's time to let them know, to their cost, that he is above them. [2.] When the oppressed are in the depth of their distress and despondency, when they are sighing like Israel in Egypt by reason of the cruel bondage, then is God's time to appear for them, as for Israel when they were most dejected and Pharaoh was most elevated. Now will I arise. Note, There is a time fixed for the rescue of oppressed innocency; that time will come, and we may be sure it is the fittest time, Ps. cii. 13. (2.) It is effectual: I will set him in safety, or in salvation, not only protect him, but restore him to his former prosperity, will bring him out into a wealthy place (Ps. lxvi. 12), so that, upon the whole, he shall lose nothing by his sufferings.

4. That, though men are false, God is faithful; though they are not to be trusted, God is. They speak vanity and flattery, but the words of the Lord are pure words (v. 6), not only all true, but all pure, like silver tried in a furnace of earth or a crucible. It denotes, (1.) The sincerity of God's word, every thing is really as it is there represented and not otherwise; it does not jest with us, not impose upon us, nor has it any other design towards us than our own good. (2.) The preciousness of God's word; it is of great and intrinsic value, like silver refined to the highest degree; it has nothing in it to depreciate it. (3.) The many proofs that have been given of its power and truth; it has been often tried, all the saints in all ages have trusted it and so tried it, and it never deceived them nor frustrated their expectation, but they have all set to their seal that God's word is true, with an Experto crede—Trust one that has made trial; they have found it so. Probably this refers especially to these promises of succouring and relieving the poor and oppressed. Their friends put them in hopes that they will do something for them, and yet prove a broken reed; but the words of God are what we may rely upon; and the less confidence is to be put in men's words let us with the more assurance trust in God's word.

5. That God will secure his chosen remnant to himself, how bad soever the times are (v. 7): Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. This intimates that, as long as the world stands, there will be a generation of proud and wicked men in it, more or less, who will threaten by their wretched arts to ruin religion, by wearing out the saints of the Most High, Dan. vii. 25. But let God alone to maintain his own interest and to preserve his own people. He will keep them from this generation, (1.) From being debauched by them and drawn away from God, from mingling with them and learning their works. In times of general apostasy the Lord knows those that are his, and they shall be enabled to keep their integrity. (2.) From being destroyed and rooted out by them. The church is built upon a rock, and so well fortified that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. In the worst of times God has his remnant, and in every age will reserve to himself a holy seed and preserve that to his heavenly kingdom.

In singing this psalm, and praying it over, we must bewail the general corruption of manners, thank God that things are not worse than they are, but pray and hope that they will be better in God's due time.

PSAL. XII.

To the Master of the Musicke upon the eight, a Psalme of David.

SAve O Iehovah, for the gracious Saint is ended, for the faithful are diminished from the sons of Adam. They speake false vanitie, each man with his next friend, with lip of flatteries; with a heart and a heart they speake. Iehovah cut off all lips of flatteries, the tongue that speaketh great things.

Which have said, with our tongue we will prevaile, our lips are with us, who is Lord over us? For the wasteful spoile of the poore afflicted, for the groning of the needie ones: now will I rise up, saith Iehovah; I will set in salvation, he shall have breathing. The sayings of Iehovah are pure sayings: as silver tried in a subliming furnace of earth, fined seven times. Thou Iehovah wilt keepe them, wilt preserve him from this generation for ever. The wicked walke on every side, when vilenesse is exalted of the sonnes of Adam.

Annotations. Vers. 1. upon the eight] which the Chaldee expoundeth, upon the eight stringed harpe: See Psal. 6. 1. SAve] or helpe. This word is largely used, for all manner saving, helping, delivering, preserving, &c. as to helpe or defend from injurie, Exod. 2. 17. 2 King. 6. 26, 27. to deliver from all adversities, Psal. 34. 7. as from sicknesse, Mat. 9. 21. Mark. 6. 56. from drowning, Mat. 8. 25. from shipwracke, Act. 27. 31. from hands of enemies, Psal. 18. 4. Iude 5. from sinne, Mat. 1. 21. from death, Mat. 27. 40. from wrath, Rom. 5. 9. and infinite the like. And is not onely a helping in trouble, but a riddance out of it, as one Evangelist saith, Let us see if Elias will come and save him, Mat. 27. 49. another saith, if Elias will come and take him downe, Mark. 15. 36. the faithfull are diminished] or faiths, fidelities are ceased. The originall word is used both for true and faithfull persons, 2 Sam. 20. 19. and for truths or fidelities, Esay 26. 2. The Greeke translateth, the truths. Vers. 3. false vanity] or vaine falshood; in Greeke, vaine things. This word (shav) noteth vanity both of words and deeds, Exod. 20. 7. Ier. 2. 30. and often that which is also false, Exo. 23. 1. as that which Moses in Exod. 20. 16. calleth witnesse of falshood, (Sheker,) relating it he calleth false vanity, (Shav) Deut. 5. 20. with his next friend] or his neighbour, his friend with whom he is associate. Sometime this word is used for a speciall friend, 2 Sam. 13. 3. Psal. 35. 14. Prov. 17. 17. but often generally for a neighbour, or next, as the new Testament translateth it in Greeke, Mat. 19. 19. from Levit. 19. 18. And who is our neighbour, our Lord teacheth us, Luke 10. 29,—36. with lip of flatteries] that is, smooth deceitfull speeches, as the Greeke translateth, deceitfull lips, a lip being sometime put for a speech or language, Gen. 11. 1. Of such deceivers, that had taught their tongues to speake lies, Ieremy also complaineth, Chap. 9. vers. 4, 5. a heart and a heart] that is, a double heart, and deceitfull. So stone and stone, Ephah and Ephah, Deut. 23. 13. 14. meaning double and deceitfull weights and measures. The men of Zabulun are commended for that they were not thus of a heart and a heart, 1 Chron. 12. 33. The Greeke translateth, with a heart and a heart he speaketh evill things. Vers. 5. our lips are with us] or, are ours, that is, we have skill, power, and liberty to speake; who shall controll us? Vers. 6. I will rise up] the Chaldee addeth, will rise up to judgement. set in salvation] that is, deliver out of all misery, and safely settle in health and prosperous estate. he shall have breathing] or, he (meaning God) will give breathing, or respiration to him, that is, to every poore man, (as after in vers. 8.) or, hee will breath out, that is, speake plainly to him. The Greeke, changing the person, translateth parrhesiásomai, that is, I will speake plainly with him. So it noteth the bold assured comfort which God by promise giveth to the afflicted, whose faithfull word is therefore commended in the verse following. This word sometime is used for plaine and confident breathing out, or uttering of the truth, Habak. 2. 3. Prov. 12. 17. Or we may understand it of the wicked, thus, I will set in salvation him whom he puffeth at, that is, whom the wicked boldly defieth, (as this word was used before, Psal. 10. 5.) or, whom he hath ins[illegible: 1 letter]ared. The Chaldee expoundeth it, I will appoint salvation for my people, but against the wicked I will testifie evill. Vers. 7. The sayings] or, the words, promises. tried] examined, fined, as in fire. The like praise of Gods pure word is in Psalm. 18. 31. and 119. 140. Prov. 30. 5. a subliming furnace of earth] This furnace, called Ghnalil, a sublimatorie, of subliming or causing to ascend upward, is the best and choisest vessell for trying and subliming of metall, called therefore in Greeke Dokimion, a Triall. And the Apostle hath the like word for a Triall of faith, better than gold, 1 Pet. 1. 7. seven times] or seven fold, that is, many times, fully and sufficiently. Seven is a perfect number used for many, 1 Sam. 2. 5. Prov. 24. 16. and 26. 25. Vers. 8. preserve him] that is, every one of them: so before in the end of the sixt verse, and often in the Scripture, like sudden change of number may be observed. It may also be read prayer-wise, keepe them, preserve him. The Greeke changeth person also, saying, wilt keepe us, and preserve us. from this generation] that is, from the men of this generation; as when Christ said, Whereto shall I liken this generation? Mat. 11. 16. he meant, Whereto shall I liken the men of this generation? Luke 7. 31. The like may be seene in Mat. 12. 42. compared with Luke 11. 31. The originall word Dor, that is, generation, race or age, hath the signification of durance, or durable dwelling and abiding, Psal. 84. 11. and so noteth the whole age or time that a man dureth in this world, Eccles. 1. 4. and so consequently for a multitude of men that live together in any age, as here, and Deut. 1. 35. and in many other places. Vers. 9. vilenesse] or, vile luxuriousnesse, riotize. The word Zulluth here used, is derived from Zolel, that is, a rioter, glutton, or luxurious person, Deut. 21. 20. Prov. 23. 21. and consequently one vile, contemptible and nought worth, opposed unto the precious, Ier. 15. 19. And here vilenesse or riotize may either be meant of the vice it selfe, or of vicious doctrine, opposed to Gods precious word, before spoken of, vers. 7. or a vile and riotous person may so be called, for more vehemencie sake, as Pride for the proud man, Psalm. 36. 12. The Greeke translateth thus; according to thine highnesse, thou hast much increased (or made abundant) the sons of men. The Chaldee thus; the wicked walke round about, as an horsleech that sucketh the bloud of the sonnes of men.

PSAL. XII.

VErſ. 1. Help Lord] 'Twas high time to call to Heaven for help, when Saul cried, Go kill me up the Prieſts of Jehovah (the occaſion as it is thought of making this Pſalm) and therein committed the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, as ſome grave Divines are of opinion, 1 Sam. 22.17 David after many ſad thoughts about that ſlaughter, and the occaſion of it, Doegs malicious information; together with the paucity of his faſt Friends, and the multitude of his ſworn Enemies at Court, breaks forth abruptly into theſe words, Help Lord, help at a dead lift. The Arabick verſion hath it, Deliver me by main force, as with Weapons of War, for the Lord is a Man of War, Exod. 15.3.

For the godly man ceaſeth] Heb. The merciful man, who having obtained mercy from thee, would ſhew me mercy, and defend mine innocency; ſuch as theſe are baniſhed the Court, which is now poſſeſſed by Paraſites and Sycophants.

For the faithful fail] Veraces, the true and truſty ones, ſuch as a man may ſafely confide in; theſe are rare Birds. See Mic. 7.1, 2, 3, &c. with the Notes there, When the Son of Man cometh, ſhall be finde faith (in this ſence alſo) in the earth? Luke 18. Hard and ſcarce. When Varus was ſlain Auguſtus complained that now he had none left, that would deal plainly and faithfully with him; Lewis the Eleventh of France would ſay, that he had plenty of all things but of one. And being asked of what? Of Truth, quoth he. Aurelian the Emperour was bought and ſold by his Counſellours, for he might know nothing, but as they informed him. David complaineth of Saul, that he was too too apt to hearken to every claw-back tell-tale, 1 Sam. 24.9. & 26.19. ſo that he could have no fair dealing.

Verſ. 2. They ſpeak vanity every one with his neighbour] They ſpeak falſly and fraudulently, and therein have an Art, as Jer. 9.4, 5. ſuch as the Devil hath taught them.

With flattering lips] Blandientibus, vel dividentibus. The Syriack verſion hath it, with dividing lips, ſuch as ſeparate very friends.

With a double heart do they ſpeak] Heb. With an heart and a heart. So Horace ſaith of Ulyſſes.

Curſus duplicis per mare Ulyſſei.

The Prophet here meaneth that they had one heart in their body, and another in their mouth,Od. 6. Animus verſutulus [illegible: 1 word] verſatilis. being deſperate diſſemblers, ſuch as the French are ſaid to be. Thoſe men of Zebulon were none ſuch, 1 Chro. 12.33.

Verſ. 3. The Lord ſhall cut off all flattering lips] as a rotten member is cut off from the body — Ne pars ſincera trahatur; or as a barren tree is ſtocked up, that it cumber not the ground. There is a wonderful ſympathy between Princes and Paraſites, whoſe ſong is, Mihiplacet, quicquid Regi placet; and whoſe practice is to ſpeak ſuavia potius quam ſana, ſweet, rather than ſound things. But God will cut off ſuch lips (taking notice of the offending member) as hee dealt by Doeg, Ahitophel, Shebna, Shemaiah the Nehelamite, Jer. 29.32.Hen. Steph. [illegible: 1 word] pol[illegible: 1 letter]pro Mero and as it were to be wiſhed that Chriſtian Princes would do, ſerving them all as the Theſſalians did that City in Greece called [non-Latin text not transcribed], or flattery, which they deſtroyed and pulled down to the ground.

And the Tongue that ſpeaketh proud things] Magnifica, bubbles of words, bluſtering ſpeeches, breathing out nothing but arrogance, and contempt of God and his people. Theſe grandilsqui muſt one day anſwer for their hard ſpeeches with flames about their ears, whatever they meet with in the mean while, as did Neſtorius, Tho. Arundel, Stephen Gardiner, and others, plagued here in their tongues, thoſe little Members that had boaſted ſogreat things, Jam. 3.

Verſ. 4. Who have ſaid, with our tongues will wee prevail) Dictitant enim, this was a common word with them; And ſurely the tongue is a deſperate weapon, made in the form a flaming ſword, and elſewhere by David compared to a Tuck or Rapier, Pſal. 42. to a raſor alſo doing deceit, Pſal. 52. The Chalde Paraphraſt hath this Text thus, Becauſe wee can ſwear and lie, therefore wee ſhall prevail.

Our lips are our own] Heb. are with us, that is, wee have the command of our tongues, and have words at will; wee can ſpeak perſwaſively, and therefore wee doubt not to perſwade Saul to any thing againſt David. Socrates in his Apology, My Lords ſaid he to the Judges; I know not how you have been affected with mine adverſaries eloquence, while you heard them ſpeak; for mine own part, I aſſure you, that I, whom it toucheth moſt, was almoſt drawn to beleeve that all they ſaid, though againſt my ſelf, was true; when they ſcarcely uttered one word of truth. Caim Curio the Roman was ingenioſe nequam, wittily wicked;Patercul[illegible: 3 letters] and the Duke of Backingham in his ſpeech to the Londoners, for Rich. 3. gained this (though ſlender) commendation, that no man could deliver ſo much bad matter in ſo good words, and quaint phraſes.

Who is Lord over us?] ſc. to hinder us from ſpeaking what and when we liſt with fineneſſe and eloquence; though to the ſlaying of three at once, the tale-bearer, the tale-hearer, and the party traduced. R. Samuel Ben. Jochai hath this note upon the Text; A ſlanderous tongue is called Laſhon Tabithat, becauſe it ſlayeth three;Lingus [illegible: 1 word] but here it ſlew four, viz. Doeg, Saul, Nob the City of the Prieſts, and Abner, who ſuffered it ſo to be, 1. Sam. 22.

Verſ. 5. For the oppreſſion of the poor] whoſe very oppreſſion (though they complain not) hath a voice and God will hear it, for he is gracious, Exod. 22.27. Hee heard Hagars affliction, though ſhe ſaid nothing, Gen. 16.11. hee heareth the young Ravens that cry unto him by implication only.

For the ſighing of the needy] If it bee but their breathing, Lens. 3.56. God can feel it, but the ſighs of his people are effectuall orators, Exod. 2.23, 24, 25. & 3.7. and their tears he puts in a bottle, Pſal. 56.9.

Now will I ariſe] ſc. in the nick of time, when all ſeems to be loſt. Mans extremity is Gods opportunity. Cum duplicarenter lateres, venit Moſes, ſee Iſa. 33.10. Now, Now, Now.

Saith the Lord] Dixit mihi per Prophetiam, Iſa. 22.14.

From him that puffeth at him] That defyeth him, and thinks hee can blow him away at a blaſt; but if God ariſe onely, his enemies ſhall bee ſcattered;R. David. as Thiſtledown is by a puff of wind, Pſa. 68.1. Some render the Text, Hee will puff at him, that is, the oppreſſed will now dare to ſpeak freely, who before durſt not mute.

Verſ. 6. The words of the Lord are pure words] free from all inſincerity or falſhood; and not like thoſe of Sauls flatterers, vile and vitious. All Gods promiſes are infallible, and ſuch as a man may write upon, as they ſay; They are yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. that is, Truth and aſſurance. God hath hitherto kept promiſe with nights and dayes, that they ſhall one ſucceed another, Jerem. 33.20, 25. therefore much more will he keep promiſe with his people.

As ſilver tryed in a Furnace] In a ſublimatory or crucible. The Greeks call it [non-Latin text not transcribed] St. Peters word, [illegible: 1 letter] Ep. 1.7.

Purified ſeven times] that is, ſufficiently. Alchimie-gold as it will not paſſe the ſeventh fire, ſo it doth not comfort the heart, as true gold will.

Verſ. 7. Thou ſhalt keep them] that is, Verba praedicta, the forementioned words or promiſes, ſaith Aben-Ezra. Or, keep thou them (prayerwiſe,) and ſo David puts Gods promiſes in ſuit. A certain good man having all taken from him, and his Wife deſiring to know how hee and his Family ſhould live? He anſwered, hee would now put his Bond in ſute; that is, he would urge God with his Promiſes.

Thou ſhalt preſerve them] Heb. Him, that is, every one of them, viz. the poor and needy, amongſt whom David reckons himſelf, which ſhews his humility.

From this Generation] So they are called for their multitude, in oppoſition to thoſe few faithful ones, verſ. 1. An evil and adulterous Generation they were, a Baſtardly brood, as Mat. 12.39. Omne tempus feret Clodios, Catones non omne feret, ſaith Seneca.

Verſ. 8. The wicked walk on every ſide] In circuitu, ſaith the Vulgar; the circular Motion is moſt ſubtle, the Devil walketh the round to do miſchief; but better render it circumqua que on every ſide, to ſhew their numbers and their inſolencies; all places are full of them, ſuch duſt-heaps are found in every corner; when as the godly are as the ſalt of the earth, ſprinkled here and there (as Salt uſeth to be) to keep the reſt from putrifying.

When the vileſt men are exalted] Heb. Vilities, the abſtract for the concrete, quiſquiliae, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Oft, empty Veſſels ſwim aloft, rotten Poſts are gilt with adulterate Gold, the worſt weeds ſpring up braveſt. Chaff will get to the top of the Fan; when good Corn, as it lieth at the bottom of the heap, ſo it falls low at the feet of the Fanner. The reaſon why wicked men walk on every ſide, are ſo brisk, ſo buſie, and who but they? is given in to be this, becauſe Loſels and Rioters were exalted. See Prov. 28.12.18. & 29.2. As Rhewms and Catarrhes fall from the Head to the Lungs, and cauſe a Conſumption of the whole body; ſo it is in the Body Politick. As a Fiſh putrifies firſt in the head, and then in all the parts: So here. Some render the Text thus, When they (that is the wicked) are exalted, it is a ſhame for the Sons of men, that other men, who better deſerve preferment, are not only ſlighted, but vilely handled by ſuch worthleſs Ambitioniſts; who yet the higher they climbe, as Apes, the more they diſcover their deformities.

"Help, Lord." A short but sweet, suggestive, seasonable, and serviceable prayer; a kind of angel's sword, to be turned every way, and to be used on all occasions. Ainsworth says the word rendered "help," is largely used for all manner of saving, helping, delivering, preserving, etc. Thus it seems that the prayer is very full and instructive. The Psalmist sees the extreme danger of his position, for a man had better be among lions than among liars; he feels his own inability to deal with such sons of Belial, for "he who shall touch them must be fenced with iron;" he therefore turns himself to his all-sufficient Helper, the Lord, whose help is never denied to his servants, and whose aid is enough for all their needs. "Help, Lord," is a very useful ejaculation which we may dart up to heaven on occasions of emergency, whether in labour, learning, suffering, fighting, living, or dying. As small ships can sail into harbours which larger vessels, drawing more water, cannot enter, so our brief cries and short petitions may trade with heaven when our soul is wind-bound, and business-bound, as to longer exercises of devotion, and when the stream of grace seems at too low an ebb to float a more laborious supplication. "For the godly man ceaseth;" the death, departure, or decline of godly men should be a trumpet-call for more prayer. They say that fish smell first at the head, and when godly men decay, the whole commonwealth will soon go rotten. We must not, however, be rash in our judgment on this point, for Elijah erred in counting himself the only servant of God alive, when there were thousands whom the Lord held in reserve. The present times always appear to be peculiarly dangerous, because they are nearest to our anxious gaze, and whatever evils are rife are sure to be observed, while the faults of past ages are further off, and are more easily overlooked. Yet we expect that in the latter days, "because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold," and then we must the more thoroughly turn from man, and address ourselves to the Churches' Lord, by whose help the gates of hell shall be kept from prevailing against us. "The faithful fail from among the children of men;" when godliness goes, faithfulness inevitably follows; without fear of God, men have no love of truth. Common honesty is no longer common, when common irreligion leads to universal godlessness. David had his eye on Doeg, and the men of Ziph and Keilah, and perhaps remembered the murdered priests of Nob, and the many banished ones who consorted with him in the cave of Adullam, and wondered where the state would drift without the anchors of its godly and faithful men. David, amid the general misrule, did not betake himself to seditious plottings, but to solemn petitionings; nor did he join with the multitude to do evil, but took up the arms of prayer to withstand their attacks upon virtue.

"They speak vanity every one with his neighbour." They utter that which is vain to hear, because of its frivolous, foolish, want of worth; vain to believe, because it was false and lying; vain to trust to, since it was deceitful and flattering; vain to regard, for it lifted up the hearer, filling him with proud conceit of himself. It is a sad thing when it is the fashion to talk vanity. "Ca'me, and I'll ca'thee." is the old Scotch proverb; give me a high sounding character, and I will give you one. Compliments and fawning congratulations are hateful to honest men; they know that if they take they must give them, and they scorn to do either. These accommodation-bills are most admired by those who are bankrupt in character. Bad are the times when every man thus cajoles and cozens his neighbour. "With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak." He who puffs up another's heart, has nothing better than wind in his own. If a man extols me to my face, he only shows me one side of his heart, and the other is black with contempt for me, or foul with intent to cheat me. Flattery is the sign of the tavern where duplicity is the host. The Chinese consider a man of two hearts to be a very base man, and we shall be safe in reckoning all flatteries to be such.

Total destruction shall overwhelm the lovers of flattery and pride, but meanwhile how they hector and fume! Well did the apostle call them "raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame." Free-thinkers are generally very free-talkers, and they are never more at ease than when railing at God's dominion, and arrogating to themselves unbounded license. Strange is it that the easy yoke of the Lord should so gall the shoulders of the proud, while the iron bands of Satan they bind about themselves as chains of honour: they boastfully cry unto God, "Who is lord over us?" and hear not the hollow voice of the evil one, who cries from the infernal lake, "I am your lord, and right faithfully do ye serve me." Alas, poor fools, their pride and glory shall be cut off like a fading flower! May God grant that our soul may not be gathered with them. It is worthy of observation that flattering lips, and tongues speaking proud things, are classed together: the fitness of this is clear, for they are guilty of the same vice, the first flatters another, and the second flatters himself, in both cases a lie is in their right hands. One generally imagines that flatterers are such mean parasites, so cringing and fawning, that they cannot be proud; but the wise man will tell you that while all pride is truly meanness, there is in the very lowest meanness no small degree of pride. Caesar's horse is even more proud of carrying Caesar, than Caesar is of riding him. The mat on which the emperor wiped his shoes, boasts vaingloriously, crying out, "I cleaned the imperial boots." None are so detestably domineering as the little creatures who creep into office by cringing to the great; those are bad times, indeed, in which these obnoxious beings are numerous and powerful. No wonder that the justice of God in cutting off such injurious persons is matter for a psalm, for both earth and heaven are weary of such provoking offenders, whose presence is a very plague to the people afflicted thereby. Men cannot tame the tongues of such boastful flatterers; but the Lord's remedy if sharp is sure, and is an unanswerable answer to their swelling words of vanity.

Total destruction shall overwhelm the lovers of flattery and pride, but meanwhile how they hector and fume! Well did the apostle call them "raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame." Free-thinkers are generally very free-talkers, and they are never more at ease than when railing at God's dominion, and arrogating to themselves unbounded license. Strange is it that the easy yoke of the Lord should so gall the shoulders of the proud, while the iron bands of Satan they bind about themselves as chains of honour: they boastfully cry unto God, "Who is lord over us?" and hear not the hollow voice of the evil one, who cries from the infernal lake, "I am your lord, and right faithfully do ye serve me." Alas, poor fools, their pride and glory shall be cut off like a fading flower! May God grant that our soul may not be gathered with them. It is worthy of observation that flattering lips, and tongues speaking proud things, are classed together: the fitness of this is clear, for they are guilty of the same vice, the first flatters another, and the second flatters himself, in both cases a lie is in their right hands. One generally imagines that flatterers are such mean parasites, so cringing and fawning, that they cannot be proud; but the wise man will tell you that while all pride is truly meanness, there is in the very lowest meanness no small degree of pride. Caesar's horse is even more proud of carrying Caesar, than Caesar is of riding him. The mat on which the emperor wiped his shoes, boasts vaingloriously, crying out, "I cleaned the imperial boots." None are so detestably domineering as the little creatures who creep into office by cringing to the great; those are bad times, indeed, in which these obnoxious beings are numerous and powerful. No wonder that the justice of God in cutting off such injurious persons is matter for a psalm, for both earth and heaven are weary of such provoking offenders, whose presence is a very plague to the people afflicted thereby. Men cannot tame the tongues of such boastful flatterers; but the Lord's remedy if sharp is sure, and is an unanswerable answer to their swelling words of vanity.

In due season the Lord will hear his elect ones, who cry day and night unto him, and though he bear long with their oppressors, yet will he avenge them speedily. Observe that the mere oppression of saints, however silently they bear it, is in itself a cry to God: Moses was heard at the Red Sea, though he said nothing; and Hagar's affliction was heard despite her silence. Jesus feels with his people, and their smarts are mighty orators with him. By-and-by, however, they begin to sigh and express their misery, and then relief comes post-haste. Nothing moves a father like the cries of his children; he bestirs himself, wakes up his manhood, overthrows the enemy, and sets his beloved in safety. A puff is too much for the child to bear, and the foe is so haughty, that he laughs the little one to scorn; but the Father comes, and then it is the child's turn to laugh, when he is set above the rage of his tormentor. What virtue is there in a poor man's sighs, that they should move the Almighty God to arise from his throne. The needy did not dare to speak, and could only sigh in secret, but the Lord heard, and could rest no longer, but girded on his sword for the battle. It is a fair day when our soul brings God into her quarrel, for when his bare arm is seen, Philistia shall rue the day. The darkest hours of the Church's night are those which precede the break of day. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. Jesus will come to deliver just when his needy ones shall sigh, as if all hope had gone for ever. O Lord, set thy now near at hand, and rise up speedily to our help. Should the afflicted reader be able to lay hold upon the promise of this verse, let him gratefully fetch a fulness of comfort from it. Gurnall says, "As one may draw out the wine of a whole hogshead at one tap, so may a poor soul derive the comfort of the whole covenant to himself through one promise, if he be able to apply it." He who promises to set us in safety, means thereby preservation on earth, and eternal salvation in heaven.

What a contrast between the vain words of man, and the pure words of Jehovah. Man's words are yea and nay, but the Lord's promises are yea and amen. For truth, certainty, holiness, faithfulness, the words of the Lord are pure as well-refined silver. In the original there is an allusion to the most severely-purifying process known to the ancients, through which silver was passed when the greatest possible purity was desired; the dross was all consumed, and only the bright and precious metal remained; so clear and free from all alloy of error or unfaithfulness is the book of the words of the Lord. The Bible has passed through the furnace of persecution, literary criticism, philosophic doubt, and scientific discovery, and has lost nothing but those human interpretations which clung to it as alloy to precious ore. The experience of saints has tried it in every conceivable manner, but not a single doctrine or promise has been consumed in the most excessive heat. What God's words are, the words of his children should be. If we would be Godlike in conversation, we must watch our language, and maintain the strictest purity of integrity and holiness in all our communications.

To fall into the hands of an evil generation, so as to be baited by their cruelty, or polluted by their influence, is an evil to be dreaded beyond measure; but it is an evil foreseen and provided for in the text. In life many a saint has lived a hundred years before his age, as though he had darted his soul into the brighter future, and escaped the mists of the beclouded present: he has gone to his grave unreverenced and misunderstood, and lo! as generations come and go, upon a sudden the hero is unearthed, and lives in the admiration and love of the excellent of the earth; preserved for ever from the generation which stigmatised him as a sower of sedition, or burned him as a heretic. It should be our daily prayer that we may rise above our age as the mountain-tops above the clouds, and may stand out as heaven-pointing pinnacle high above the mists of ignorance and sin which roll around us. O Eternal Spirit, fulfil in us the faithful saying of this verse! Our faith believes those two assuring words, and cries, "Thou shalt," "thou shalt."

Here we return to the fount of bitterness, which first made the psalmist run to the wells of salvation, namely, the prevalence of wickedness. When those in power are vile, their underlings will be no better. As a warm sun brings out noxious flies, so does a sinner in honour foster vice everywhere. Our turf would not so swarm with abominables if those who are styled honourables did not give their countenance to the craft. Would to God that the glory and triumph of our Lord Jesus would encourage us to walk and work on every side; as like acts upon like, since an exalted sinner encourages sinners, our exalted Redeemer must surely excite, cheer, and stimulate his saints. Nerved by a sight of his reigning power we shall meet the evils of the times in the spirit of holy resolution, and shall the more hopefully pray, "Help, Lord."

"Help, Lord." 'Twas high time to call to heaven for help, when Saul cried, "Go, kill me up the priests of Jehovah" (the occasion as it is thought of making this Psalm), and therein committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, as some grave divines are of opinion. 1 Samuel 22:17. David, after many sad thoughts about that slaughter, and the occasion of it, Doeg's malicious information, together with the paucity of his fast friends, and the multitude of his sworn enemies at court, breaks forth abruptly into these words, "Help, Lord," help at a dead lift. The Arabic version hath it, Deliver me by main force, as with weapons of war, for "the Lord is a man of war." Exodus 15:3. John Trapp.

"The faithful." "A faithful man," as a parent, a reprover, an adviser, one "without guile," "who can find?" Proverbs 20:6. Look close. View thyself in the glass of the word. Does thy neighbour or thy friend, find thee faithful to him? What does our daily intercourse witness? Is not the attempt to speak what is agreeable oft made at the expense of truth? Are not professions of regard sometimes utterly inconsistent with our real feelings? In common life, where gross violations are restrained, a thousand petty offences are allowed, that break down the wall between sin and duty, and, judged by the divine standard, are indeed guilty steps upon forbidden ground. Charles Bridges, 1850.

A "faithful" man must be, first of all, faithful to himself; then, he must be faithful to God; and then, he must be faithful to others, particularly the church of God. And this, as it regards ministers, is of peculiar importance. Joseph Irons, 1840.

Even as a careful mother, seeing her child in the way when a company of unruly horses run through the streets in full career, presently whips up her child in her arms and taketh him home; or as the hen, seeing the ravenous kite over her head, clucks and gathers her chickens under her wings; even so when God hath a purpose to bring a heavy calamity upon a land, it hath been usual with him to call and cull out to himself such as are his dearly beloved. He takes his choice servants from the evil to come. Thus was Augustine removed a little before Hippo (wherein he dwelt) was taken; Paroeus died before Heidelburg was sacked; and Luther was taken off before Germany was overrun with war and bloodshed. Ed. Dunsterville in a Sermon at the Funeral of Sir Sim. Harcourt, 1642.

"Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth," etc.: —

Back, then, complainer, loathe thy life no more,

Nor deem thyself upon a desert shore,

Because the rocks the nearer prospect close.

Yet in fallen Israel are there hearts and eyes,

That day by day in prayer like thine arise;

Thou knowest them not, but their Creator known.

Go, to the world return, nor fear to cast

Thy bread upon the waters, sure at last

In joy to find it after many days. John Keble, 1792-1866.

Verses 1, 2, 4. Consider our markets, our fairs, our private contracts and bargains, our shops, our cellars, our weights, our measures, our promises, our protestations, our politic tricks and villainous Machiavelism, our enhancing of the prices of all commodities, and tell, whether the twelfth Psalm may not as fitly be applied to our times as to the days of the man of God; in which the feigning, and lying, and facing, and guile, and subtlety of men provoked the psalmist to cry out, "Help, Lord; for there is not a godly man left: for the faithful are failed from among the children of men: they speak deceitfully every one with his neighbour, flattering with their lips, and speak with a double heart, which have said, With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own: who is Lord over us?" R. Wolcombe, 1612.

"They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak." The feigned zeal is just like a waterman, that looks one way and rows another way; for this man pretends one thing and intends another thing; as Jehu pretended the zeal of God's glory, but his aim was at his master's kingdom; and his zeal to God's service was but to bring him to the sceptre of the kingdom. So Demetrius professed great love unto Diana, but his drift was to maintain the honour of his profession; and so we have too many that make great show of holiness, and yet their hearts aim at other ends; but they may be sure, though they can deceive the world and destroy themselves, yet not God, who knoweth the secrets of all hearts. Gr. Williams, 1636.

"They speak vanity." —

Faithless is earth, and faithless are the skies!

Justice is fled, and truth is now no more! Virgil's Æneid, IV. 373.

"With a double heart." Man is nothing but insincerity, falsehood, and hypocrisy, both in regard to himself and in regard to others. He does not wish that he should be told the truth, he shuns saying it to others; and all these moods, so inconsistent with justice and reason, have their roots in his heart. Blaise Pascal.

"With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak." There is no such stuff to make a cloak of as religion; nothing so fashionable, nothing so profitable: it is a livery wherein a wise man may serve two masters, God and the world, and make a gainful service by either. I serve both, and in both myself, by prevaricating with both. Before man none serves his God with more devotion; for which, among the best of men, I work my own ends, and serve myself. In private, I serve the world; not with so strict devotion, but with more delight; where fulfilling of her servants' lusts, I work my end and serve myself. The house of prayer who more frequents than I? In all Christian duties who more forward than I? I fast with those who fast, that I may eat with those that eat. I mourn with those that mourn. No hand more open to the cause than mine, and in their families none prays longer and with louder zeal. Thus when the opinion of a holy life hath cried the goodness of my conscience up, my trade can lack no custom, my wares can want no price, my words can need no credit, my actions can lack no praise. If I am covetous, it is interpreted providence; if miserable, it is counted temperance; if melancholy, it is construed godly sorrow; if merry, it is voted spiritual joy; if I be rich, it is thought the blessing of a godly life; if poor, supposed the fruit of conscionable dealing; if I be well spoken of, it is the merit of holy conversation; if ill, it is the malice of malignants. Thus I sail with every wind, and have my end in all conditions. This cloak in summer keeps me cool, in winter warm, and hides the nasty bag of all my secret lusts. Under this cloak I walk in public fairly with applause, and in private sin securely without offence, and officiate wisely without discovery. I compass sea and land to make a proselyte; and no sooner made, but he makes me. At a fast I cry Geneva, and at a feast I cry Rome. If I be poor, I counterfeit abundance to save my credit; if rich, I dissemble poverty to save charges. I most frequent schismatical lectures, which I find most profitable; from thence learning to divulge and maintain new doctrines; they maintain me in suppers thrice a week. I use the help of a lie sometimes, as a new stratagem to uphold the gospel; and I colour oppression with God's judgments executed upon the wicked. Charity I hold an extraordinary duty, therefore not ordinarily to be performed. What I openly reprove abroad, for my own profit, that I secretly act at home, for my own pleasure. But stay, I see a handwriting in my heart which damps my soul. It is charactered in these sad words, "Woe be to you, hypocrites." Matthew 23:13. Francis Quarle's "Hypocrite's Soliloquy."

"With flattering lips," etc. The world indeed says that society could not exist if there were perfect truthfulness and candour between man and man; and that the world's propriety would be as much disturbed if every man said what he pleased, as it was in those days of Israelitish history, when every man did that which was right in his own eyes. The world is assuredly the best judge of its own condition and mode of government, and therefore I will not say what a libel does such a remark contain, but oh, what a picture does it present of the social edifice, that its walls can be cemented and kept together only by flattery and falsehood! Barton Bouchier.

"Flattering lips." The philosopher Bion being asked what animal he though the most hurtful, replied, "That of wild creatures a tyrant, and of tame ones a flatterer." The flatterer is the most dangerous enemy we can have. Raleigh, himself a courtier, and therefore initiated into the whole art of flattery, who discovered in his own career and fate its dangerous and deceptive power, its deep artifice and deeper falsehood, says, "A flatterer is said to be a beast that biteth smiling. But it is hard to know them from friends —they are so obsequious and full of protestations: for as a wolf resembles a dog, so doth a flatterer a friend." The Book of Symbols, 1844.

"They speak with a double heart." The original is, "A heart and a heart:" one for the church, another for the change; one for Sundays, another for working-days; one for the king, another for the pope. A man without a heart is a wonder, but a man with two hearts is a monster. It is said of Judas, "There were many hearts in one man;" and we read of the saints, "There was one heart in many men." Acts 4:32. Dabo illis cor unum; a special blessing. Thomas Adams.

When men cease to be faithful to their God, he who expects to find them so to each other, will be much disappointed. The primitive sincerity will accompany the primitive piety in her flight from the earth; and then interest will succeed conscience in the regulation of human conduct, till one man cannot trust another farther than he holds him by that tie. Hence, by the way, it is, that though many are infidels themselves, yet few choose to have their families and dependents such; as judging, and rightly judging, that true Christians are the only persons to be depended on for the exact discharge of social duties. George Horne.

"The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips," etc. They who take pleasure in deceiving others, will at the last find themselves most of all deceived, when the Sun of truth, by the brightness of his rising, shall at once detect and consume hypocrisy. George Horne.

"Cut off lips and tongues." May there not be here an allusion to those terrible but suggestive punishments which Oriental monarchs were wont to execute on criminals? Lips were cut off and tongues torn out when offenders were convicted of lying or treason. So terrible and infinitely more so are the punishments of sin. C. H. S.

It need not now seem strange to tell you that the Lord is the owner of our bodies, that he has so much propriety therein that they are more his than ours. The apostle tells us as much. 1 Corinthians 6:20. "Glorify God in your bodies which are his." Our bodies, and every member thereof, are his; for if the whole be so, no part is exempted. And therefore they speak proud things, and presumptuously usurped the propriety of God, who said, "Our lips are our own;" as though their lips had not been his who is Lord and Owner of all, but they had been lords thereof, and might have used them as they list. This provoked God to show what right he had to dispose of such lips and tongues, by cutting them off. David Clarkson.

It need not now seem strange to tell you that the Lord is the owner of our bodies, that he has so much propriety therein that they are more his than ours. The apostle tells us as much. 1 Corinthians 6:20. "Glorify God in your bodies which are his." Our bodies, and every member thereof, are his; for if the whole be so, no part is exempted. And therefore they speak proud things, and presumptuously usurped the propriety of God, who said, "Our lips are our own;" as though their lips had not been his who is Lord and Owner of all, but they had been lords thereof, and might have used them as they list. This provoked God to show what right he had to dispose of such lips and tongues, by cutting them off. David Clarkson.

"Who have said, With our tongues will we prevail; who is Lord over us?" So it was: twelve poor and unlearned men on the one side, all the eloquence of Greece and Rome arrayed on the other. From the time of Tertullus to that of Julian the apostate, every species of oratory, learning, wit, was lavished against the church of God; and the result, like the well-known story of that dispute between the Christian peasant and the heathen philosopher, when the latter, having challenged the assembled fathers of a synod to silence him, was put to shame by the simple faith of the former "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I command thee to be dumb." "Who is lord over us?" "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?" Exodus 5:2. "What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?" Job 21:15. "Who is that God that shall deliver you?" Daniel 3:15. Michael Ayguan, in J. M. Neale's Commentary.

"Our lips are our own." If we have to do with God, we must quit claim to ourselves and look on God as our owner; but this is fixed in the hearts of men, We will be our own; we will not consent to the claim which God makes to us: "Our lips are our own." Wicked men might as well say the same thing of their whole selves; our bodies, strength, time, parts, etc., are our own, and who is Lord over us? John Howe.

From the faults of the wicked we must learn three contrary lessons; to wit: 1. That nothing which we have is our own. But, 2. Whatsoever is given to us of God is for service to be done to him. 3. That whatsoever we do or say, we have a Lord over us to whom we must be answerable when he calleth us to account. David Dickson.

"For the oppression of the poor," etc. When oppressors and persecutors do snuff and puff at the people of God, when they defy them, and scorn them, and think that they can with a blast of their breath blow them away, then God will arise to judgment, as the Chaldee has it; at that very nick of time when all seems to be lost, and when the poor, oppressed, and afflicted people of God can do nothing but sigh and weep, and weep and sigh, then the Lord will arise and ease them of their oppressions, and make their day of extremity a glorious opportunity to work for his own glory, and his people's good. Matthew 22:6, 7. "And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city." Thomas Brooks.

Fear ye, whosoever ye be, that do wrong the poor; you have power and wealth, and the favour of the judges, but they have the strongest weapons of all, sighings and groanings, which fetch help from heaven for them. These weapons dig down houses, throw up foundations, overthrow whole nations. Chrysostom.

"For the sighings of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord." God is pleased to take notice of every grace, even the least and lowest, and every gracious inclination in any of his servants. To fear his name is no great matter, yet these have a promise. To think on his name less, yet set down in a "book of remembrance." God sets down how many good thoughts a poor soul hath had. As evil thoughts in wicked men are taken notice of —they are the first fruits of the evil heart (Matthew 15:19) —so good thoughts are they which lie uppermost, and best discover a good heart. A desire is a small matter, especially of the poor man, yet God regards the desire of the poor, and calls a good desire the greatest kindness; "The desire of a man is his kindness." A tear makes no great noise, yet hath a voice, "God hath heard the voice of my weeping." It is no pleasant water, yet God bottles it up. A groan is a poor thing, yet is the best part of a prayer sometimes (Romans 8:26); a sigh is less, yet God is awakened and raised up by it. Psalm 12:5. A look is less than all these, yet this is regarded (Jonah 2:4); breathing is less, yet (Lamentations 3:56), the church could speak of no more; panting is less than breathing, when one is spent for lack of breath, yet this is all the godly can sometimes boast of. Psalm 42:1. The description of a godly man is ofttimes made from his least quod sic. Blessed are the poor, the meek, they that mourn, and they who hunger and thirst. Never did Hannah pray better than when she could get out never a word, but cried, "Hard, hard heart." Nor did the publican, than when he smote his breast and cried, "Lord, be merciful to me a sinner." Nor Mary Magdalene, than when she came behind Christ, sat down, wept, but kept silence. How sweet is music upon the waters! How fruitful are the lowest valleys! Mourning hearts are most musical, lowest most fruitful. The good shepherd ever takes most care of his weak lambs and feeble sheep. The father makes most of the least, and the mother looks most after the sick child. How comfortable is that of our Saviour, "It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish!" And that heaven is not to be entered but by such as are like the little child. John Sheffield, 1654.

"The oppression of the poor." Insolent and cruel oppressing of the poor is a sin that brings desolating and destroying judgments upon a people. God sent ten wasting judgments one after another upon Pharaoh, his people, and land, to revenge the cruel oppression of his poor people. "Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause." Proverbs 22:22, 23. To rob and oppress the rich is a great sin; but to rob and oppress the poor is a greater; but to rob and oppress the poor because he is poor, and wants money to buy justice, is the top of all inhumanity and impiety. To oppress anyone is sin; but to oppress the oppressed is the height of sin. Poverty, and want, and misery, should be motives to pity; but oppressors make them the whetstone of their cruelty and severity, and therefore the Lord will plead the cause of his poor oppressed people against their oppressors without fee or fear; yea, he will plead their cause with pestilence, blood, and fire. Gog was a great oppressor of the poor (Ezekiel 38:8-14), and God pleads against him with pestilence, blood, and fire (verse 22); "and I will plead against him, with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thomas Brooks.

"The words of the Lord are pure words," etc. How beautifully is this verse introduced, by way of contrast to what was said before concerning! Do sinners talk of vanity? let saints then speak of Jesus and his gospel. Do they talk impure words? then let the faithful use the pure words of God, which like silver, the more used, the more melted in the fire, the more precious will they be. It is true, indeed, despisers will esteem both God and his word as trifling; but oh, what an unknown treasure doth the word, the promises, the covenant relation of the divine things of Jesus contain! They are more to be desired than gold, yea, than pure gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Robert Hawker.

"The words of the Lord are pure words," etc. They that purify silver to the purpose, use to put it in the fire again and again, that it may be thoroughly tried. So is the truth of God; there is scarce any truth but hath been tried over and over again, and still if any dross happens to mingle with it, then God calls it in question again. If in former times there have been Scriptures alleged that have not been pertinent to prove it, that truth shall into the fire again, that what is dross may be burnt up; the Holy Ghost is so curious, so delicate, so exact, he cannot bear that falsehood should be mingled with the truths of the gospel. This is the reason, therefore, why that God doth still, age after age, call former things in question, because that there is still some dross one way or other mingled with them; either in the stating the opinions themselves, or else in the Scriptures that are brought and alleged for them, that have passed for current, for he will never leave till he have purified them. The doctrine of God's free grace hath been tried over and over, and over again. Pelagius begins, and he mingles his dross with it: he saith, grace is nothing but nature in man. Well, his doctrine was purified, and a great deal of dross purged out. Then come the semi-Pelagians, and they part stakes; they say, nature can do nothing without grace, but they make nature to concur with grace, and to have an influence as well as grace; and the dross of that was burnt up. The Papists, they take up the same quarrel, but will neither be Pelagians nor semi-Pelagians, yet still mingle dross. The Arminians, they come, and they refine popery in that point anew; still they mingle dross. God will have this truth tried seven times in the fire, til he hath brought it forth as pure as pure may be. And I say it is because that truth is thus precious. Thomas Goodwin.

The Scripture is the sun; the church is the clock. The sun we know to be sure, and regularly constant in his motions; the clock, as it may fall out, may go too fast or too slow. As then, we should condemn him of folly that should profess to trust the clock rather than the sun, so we cannot but justly tax the credulity of those who would rather trust to the church than to the Scripture. Bishop Hall.

"The words of the Lord are pure words." Men may inspect detached portions of the Book, and please themselves with some things, which at first view, have the semblance of conniving at what is wrong. But let them read it, let them read the whole of it; let them carry along in their minds the character of the persons to which the different portions of it were addressed; the age of the world, and the circumstances under which the different parts of it were written, and the particular objects which even those portions of it have in view, which to an infidel mind appear the most exceptionable; and they may be rationally convinced that, instead of originating in the bosom of an impostor, it owes its origin to men who wrote "as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Let them scrutinise it with as much severity as they please; only let their scrutiny be well informed, wisely directed, and with a fair and ingenuous mind, and we have no fears for the issue. There are portions of it on which ignorance and folly have put constructions that are forced and unnatural, and which impure minds have viewed in shadows reflected from their own impurity. Montesquieu said of Voltaire, Lorsque Voltaire lit un livre, il le fait, puis il ècrit contre ce qu'il a fait: "When Voltaire reads a book, he makes it what he pleases, and then writes against what he has made." It is no difficult matter to besmear and blot its pages and then impute the foul stains that men of corrupt minds have cast upon it, to its stainless Author. But if we honestly look at it as it is, we shall find that like its Author, it is without blemish and without spot. Gardiner Spring, D.D.

"The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." The expression may import two things: first, the infallible certainty of the word; and, secondly, the exact purity. First, the infallible certainty of the word, as gold endureth in the fire when the dross is consumed. Vain conceits comfort us not in a time of trouble: but the word of God, the more it is tried, the more you will find the excellency of it —the promise is tried, as well as we are tried, in deep afflictions; but when it is so, it will be found to be most pure. "The word of the Lord is tried; he is a buckler to all those who trust in him" (Proverbs 30:5); as pure gold suffers no loss by the fire, so the promises suffer no loss when they are tried, but stand to us in our greatest troubles. Secondly, it notes the exact perfection of the word: there is no dross in silver and gold that hath been often refined; so there is no defect in the word of God. Thomas Manton.

Fry thus translates this verse: —

The words of Jehovah are pure words —

Silver refined in the crucible —

Gold, seven times washed from the earth. (Heb.) though sometimes applied to express the purity of silver, is more strictly an epithet of gold, from the peculiar method made use of in separating it from the soil by repeated washings and decantations. John Fry, in loc.

"Seven times." I cannot but admit that there may be a mystic meaning in the expression "seven times," in allusion to the seven periods of the church, or to that perfection, implied in the figure seven, to which it is to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ. This will be more readily allowed by those who admit of the prophetic interpretation of the seven epistles of the Book of Revelation. W. Wilson, D. D., in loc.

"When the vilest men are exalted:" Hebrew, vilities, outidanoi the abstract for the concrete, quisquiliae, outidanoi. Oft, empty vessels swim aloft, rotten posts are gilt with adulterate gold, the worst weeds spring up bravest. Chaff will get to the top of the fan, when good corn, as it lieth at the bottom of the heap, so it falls low at the feet of the fanner. The reason why wicked men "walk" on every side, are so brisk, so busy (and who but they?) is given to be this, because losels and rioters were exalted. See Proverbs 28:12, 18 and 29:2. As rheums and catarrhs fall from the head to the lungs, and cause a consumption of the whole body, so it is in the body politic. As a fish putrefies first in the head and then in all the parts, so here. Some render the text thus, "When they (that is, the wicked) are exalted," it is a "shame for the sons of men," that other men who better deserve preferment, are not only slighted, but vilely handled by such worthless ambitionists, who yet the higher they climb, as apes, the more they discover their deformities." John Trapp.

Good thus translates this verse: —

Should the wicked advance on every side;

Should the dregs of the earth be uppermost?

The original is given literally. (Heb.) means "foeces, foeculences, dregs. (Heb.) is here an adverb, and imports uppermost, rather than exalted. J. Mason Good, in loc.

"Help, Lord."

I. The Prayer itself, short, suggestive, seasonable, rightly directed, vehement.

II. Occasions for its use.

III. Modes of its answer.

IV. Reasons for expecting gracious reply.

First two clauses. Text for funeral of an eminent believer.

Whole verse.

I. The fact bewailed —describe godly and faithful, and show how they fail.

II. The feeling excited. Mourning the loss, fears for church, personal need of such companions, appeal to God.

III. The forebodings aroused. Failure of the cause, judgments impending, etc.

IV. The faith remaining: "Help, Lord."

Intimate connection between yielding honour to God and honesty to man, since they decline together.

(first clause). A discourse upon the prevalence and perniciousness of vain talk.

The whole verse. Connection between flattery and treachery.

"A double heart." Right and wrong kinds of hearts, and the disease of duplicity.

God's hatred of those twin sins of the lips —Flattery and Pride (which is self flattery). Why he hates them. How he shows his hatred. In whom he hates them most. How to be cleansed from them.

I. The revolt of the tongue. Its claim of power, self-possession, and liberty. Contrast this and the believer's confession, "we are not our own."

II. The method of its rebellion — "flattery, and speaking proud things."

III. The end of its treason —"cut off."

I. The revolt of the tongue. Its claim of power, self-possession, and liberty. Contrast this and the believer's confession, "we are not our own."

II. The method of its rebellion — "flattery, and speaking proud things."

III. The end of its treason —"cut off."

The Lord aroused —How! Why! What to do! When!

Last clause. Peculiar danger of believers from those who despise them and their special safety. Good practical topic.

The purity, trial, and permanency of the words of the Lord.

Seven crucibles in which believers try the word. A little thought will suggest these.

Preservation from one's generation in this life and for ever. A very suggestive theme.

Sin in high places specially infectious. Call to the rich and prominent to remember their responsibility. Thankfulness for honourable rulers. Discrimination to be used in choice of our representatives, or civic magistrates.