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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Psalms 12:1-8

Prayer for God's Protection of His Church.

This psalm again shows a prophetical strain; it is applicable throughout to the little flock, the poor, small crew of the Christian Church, in its many vicissitudes. Cf Acts 2:30. To the chief musician upon Sheminith, upon the octave, to be sung or played with bass voices, or, on an eight-stringed instrument, a psalm of David.

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See also Psalms 12:1-8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    PSALM XII _The psalmist, destitute of human comfort, craves help from God_, 1; _gives the character of those who surrounded him, and denounces_ _God's judgments against them_, 2-5; _confides in t...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HELP, LORD - Hebrew, “Save, Yahweh.” The idea is that there was no human help, and, therefore, the divine help is implored. The psalmist saw that those on whom reliance was usually placed for the prom...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 12 _ 1. The arrogance of the wicked in the last days (Psalms 12:1)_ 2. Then Jehovah will act and deliver His people (Psalms 12:5) Psalms 1

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XII. A PRAYER OF FAITHFUL JEWS AGAINST THE ARROGANT TONGUE OF THE UNGODLY. Psalms 12:1_._ The godly man ceaseth (see Psalms 4:1). The wicked acknowledge no responsibility for their words: they say, T...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN. See App-64. UPON SHEMINITH. the _Sheminith._ See App-65. TITLE.. PSALM. See App-65. HELP. Save. GODLY MAN. "gracious [man]". CEASETH. is no more. Compare Isaiah 57:1.Micah...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Help_ Render save, as in Psalms 3:7; Psalms 6:4; Psalms 7:1, and elsewhere; and note the connexion with _in safety, Psalms 12:5_. for the godly man ceaset

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    A cry for help in the midst of prevailing faithlessness....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _David, destitute of human comfort, asketh help of God: he comforteth himself with God's judgments on the wicked, and confidence in God's tried promises._ To the chief musician upon Sheminith, A Psal...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 12 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE General Corruption, Evidenced by Sin of the Tongue, Impels to Prayer and Calls Forth a Divine Answer. ANALYSIS In Stanzas I. and II. (Psalms 12:1-4), the Petitioner Desc...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _HELP, LORD; FOR THE GODLY MAN CEASETH; FOR THE FAITHFUL FAIL FROM AMONG THE CHILDREN OF MEN._ Title. - UPON SHEMINITH - Note on title, Psalms 6:1. Psalms 12:1.-Complaint that the godly cease, the tr...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    12:1 Sheminith. (e-6) See Psalms 6 , title. gone; (f-18) Or 'ceaseth.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BOOK 1 The Pss. in this book are probably among the earliest in the Psalter, and include most of those generally regarded as Davidic. They seem to have existed separately as an early hymn-book, which,...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 1:41 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. The notes explain some of the words with a *star by them. Tap the * before a word to show an explanation. The translated Bible tex...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    CEASETH. — Intransitive, as in Psalms 7:9. THE FAITHFUL. — The Vulg. and Syriac treat this word as abstract: “truth,” “faithfulness.” So Ewald; but the parallelism here, as in Psalms 31:23, requires i...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לַ † מְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל ־הַ שְּׁמִינִ֗ית מִזְמֹ֥ור...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 12:1 ONE penalty of living near God is keen pain from low lives. The ears that hear God's word cannot but be stunned and hurt by the babble of empty speech. This psalm is profoundly melancholy,...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    GOD OUR REFUGE AND DEFENSE Psalms 11:1; Psalms 12:1 The first of these is a debate between fear and faith, and dates from Saul's persecutions. Timid friends, anxious for David's safety, urged him to...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Out of a consciousness of the terrible evil of his times, the worshiper cries to Jehovah for help. The failure of godly men and faithful souls is always the gravest peril which can threaten a nation o...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    "To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David." Help, LORD; for the (a) godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. (a) Who dare defend the truth and show mercy...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Me? These expressions are figurative. God seems displeased: but it is often for our greater good. Some explain this of David, Ezechias, the captives, &c. It may be applied to every afflicted soul, wh...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS This is a short and pathetic lamentation over the languishing state of. the Church, and the decrease of the faithful. The sacred writer, however, takes comfort in the assurance, that God wil...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    _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 incline...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Such is the general basis of the godly man's confidence and walk; but they are not insensible to the evil, but can present it to the Lord. This is the subject of Psalms 12, "Help, Jehovah, for the god...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    HELP, LORD, FOR THE GODLY MAN CEASETH,.... A godly man, according to the notation of the word z, is one that has received grace and mercy of the Lord; as pardoning mercy, justifying and adopting grace...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Psalms 12:1 «To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. » Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. Ver. 1. _Help, Lord_] It was high t...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Help, Lord_ Hebrew, הושׁיעה, _hoshigna, save, Jehovah;_ namely, me and other good men, from the subtlety and rage of wicked men; _for the godly man ceaseth_ חסיד, _chasid, the kind_, or, _merciful ma...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    HELP: Or, save...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    PSALM 12 The same title is prefixed to PSA 6. This Psalm was composed in the time and upon the occasion of Saul's ill government, and his persecution of David, and other good men who favoured him. Dav...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 12:1 Musician H5329 (H8764) harp H8067 Psalm H4210 David H1732 Help H3467 (H8685) LORD H3068 man...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘For the Chief Musician; set to the Sheminith. A Psalm of David.' Again the psalm is for the Choirmaster. ‘Sheminith' means eighth. It may refer to an eight stringed instrument, or to a musical notat...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Help, YHWH, for the godly man ceases, For the faithful have disappeared from among the children of men. They speak falsehood every one with his neighbour. With flattering lip, and with a double he...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    SHEMINITH (_ See Scofield) - (Psalms 6:1). _...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 12:1. _Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men._ The Psalm speaks of a very discouraging time, and records a very dreary fact, but the psalm...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 12:1. _Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men._ One might have thought that David still lived among us, his cry is so timely, so exactly tr...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: A prayer for help against oppressors. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: The believer is commonly tempted to think that because trouble has lasted long, it will last always, but if he wil...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Psalms 12:1. _Help, Lord; for the godly,_ Hebrews חסיד _chasid,_ the merciful _man ceaseth._ The true reading is preferable, because it joins piety with usefulness. In this manner David is thought to...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth._ --This, according to the title, is one of David’s Psalms; but there is nothing in the circumstances, so far as we know them, of his history, which can lead us...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 12:1. This is a community lament, describing a time when liars are in positions of authority. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “This, according to the title, is one of David’s psalms, but there is nothing in the circumstances, so far as we know them, of his history which can lead us to associate the psalm with an...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ANOTHER Davidical psalm, both according to the title and to the general opinion of critics; said (like Psalms 6:1.) to be "upon Sheminith"—an expression of uncertain meaning. It consists of...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    The chief musician upon octaves, the psalm of David. Psalms 12:1-8. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men (Psalms 12:1). Remember when Elijah sai...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Chronicles 15:21; Genesis 6:12; Isaiah 1:21; Isaiah 1:22; Isaiah 1:9

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