INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 12 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN UPON SHEMINITH, A PSALM OF DAVID. The word "sheminith" is used in the title of Psalms 6:1, and signifies "eighth"; and intends either the eighth note, to which the psalm was sung, or rather the harp of eight chords, to which it was set, as the Targum a... [ Continue Reading ]
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; and who has principles of grace, goodness, and holiness, wrought in him; who fears the Lord, and s... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SPEAK VANITY EVERYONE WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR,.... That which is false and a lie, either doctrinal or practical; what was not according to the word of God, and was vain and empty, frothy, filthy, and corrupt; and which no godly and faithful man would do. And this being done in common, by the general... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SHALL CUT OFF ALL FLATTERING LIPS,.... This is either a prophecy or a prayer, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe; that God either would or should cut off such who used flattery with their lips, by inflicting some judgment in this life, or everlasting punishment hereafter; by taking them away b... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO HAVE SAID, WITH OUR TONGUE WILL WE PREVAIL,.... Either through the eloquence of them, or the outward force and power with which they are backed. The sense is, as we say, so shall it be; our words are laws, and shall be obeyed, there is no standing against them; our edicts and decrees shall every... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR,.... The servants and people of God, who, for the most part, are poor in a temporal sense, and are all of them, and always, so in a spiritual sense, standing continually in need of fresh supplies of grace; and being often afflicted, as the word signifies, are mean and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORDS OF THE LORD [ARE] PURE WORDS,.... This observation the psalmist makes in reference to what is just now said in Psalms 12:5:, and in opposition to the words of wicked men in Psalms 12:2; which are deceitful, sinful, and impure. The Scriptures are the words of God; and they are pure and holy... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALL KEEP THEM, O LORD,.... Not the words before mentioned, as Aben Ezra explains it, for the affix is masculine and not feminine; not but God has wonderfully kept and preserved the sacred writings; and he keeps every word of promise which he has made; and the doctrines of the Gospel will alwa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED WALK ON EVERY SIDE,.... Of the poor and needy, of the righteous ones, to watch them, lay snares for them, and hurt them; therefore, Lord, keep and preserve them: the wicked are everywhere in great numbers, the whole world lies in wickedness; and the men of it are like their father the dev... [ Continue Reading ]