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Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 12:1–8. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
This psalm furnishes us with good thoughts for bad times, in which, though the prudent will keep silent (Amo 5:13) 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. Ti2 3:1, 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 (Psa 12:1): 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 11:3); 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 5:1.
2.When dissimulation and flattery have corrupted and debauched all conversation, then the times are very bad (Psa 12:2), 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 7:5, Mic 7:6; Jer 9:4, Jer 9:5. 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?" Psa 12:4. 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, Exo 5:1. 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 (Psa 12:5) 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 Psa 10:5.
5.When wickedness abounds, and goes barefaced, under the protection and countenance of those in authority, then the times are very bad, Psa 12:8. 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 11:21. 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 (Psa 12:1): "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, Psa 12:3. 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 (Psa 12:5): 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, Psa 102:13. (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 (Psa 66:12), 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 (Psa 12:6), 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 (Psa 12:7): 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 7:25. 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.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
There is no righteous one left anywhere, he said, who can become the author of my deliverance. Truly I lack a Savior, and since there is none, you yourself, Lord, be my Savior.
"Save me, O Lord, for the holy has failed;" that is, is not found: as we speak when we say, Corn fails, or, Money fails. "For the truths have been minished from among the sons of men" [Psalm 12:1]. The truth is one, whereby holy souls are enlightened: but forasmuch as there are many souls, there may be said in them to be many truths: as in mirrors there are seen many reflections from one face.
Since he was observing that this world burdens souls, he asks the Lord to be saved. He knew that genuine medicine can only be found with God.
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Summary
Psalms 12:1 opens with a fervent and urgent lament from King David, a desperate cry to the Lord for divine intervention in a society he perceives as rapidly decaying. The psalmist expresses profound distress over the alarming decline of individuals characterized by godliness and faithfulness, observing a widespread erosion of integrity, trustworthiness, and moral steadfastness among humanity. This verse articulates a deep sense of spiritual isolation and prompts an immediate appeal to God, recognizing that only divine help can remedy the pervasive absence of righteousness in a world seemingly consumed by deceit and unreliability.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 12 stands as a poignant individual lament, though it voices a concern that resonates communally. It is strategically positioned within the Psalter, following Psalms 11, which affirms God's righteous judgment and steadfastness against the wicked, and preceding Psalms 13, another deeply personal cry for deliverance from affliction. This placement underscores a recurring tension in the Psalms: the righteous often feel beleaguered and outnumbered by the wicked, prompting desperate appeals to God for justice, preservation, and the restoration of moral order. The opening lament in Psalms 12:1 effectively establishes the dire need that sets the stage for God's subsequent promises of protection for the afflicted, as found later in the psalm, particularly in Psalms 12:5-8.
Historical & Cultural Context
The superscription, "To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David," offers significant historical and cultural insights. "Sheminith" (שְׁמִינִית, Sheminith) is a musical instruction, most likely referring to a lower octave, a bass instrument, or an eight-stringed instrument, suggesting a solemn, deep, or urgent melodic setting highly appropriate for a psalm of lament. David's authorship places this psalm within a period of his life potentially marked by significant political and social turmoil. This could include the early years of his reign, when he faced opposition from ungodly elements and deceitful counselors, or even during the intense persecution he endured under King Saul. The lament reflects a societal context where covenant faithfulness (Hebrew: hesed) and truth were eroding, possibly due to widespread corruption, flattery, and deceit among those in power or within the general populace. Such moral decay was a common societal ill in ancient Near Eastern cultures, often exacerbated by power struggles, economic injustice, and a general disregard for divine law, creating an environment where righteous individuals felt increasingly isolated and vulnerable, as seen in other prophetic laments like Isaiah 59:14-15.
Key Themes
This opening verse introduces several profound themes that permeate Psalms 12 and resonate throughout the entire Psalter. The primary theme is the scarcity of righteousness and faithfulness in a fallen world, a lament that finds echoes in the prophetic literature, such as Micah 7:2 where the prophet similarly grieves the disappearance of the godly. This leads directly to the theme of desperate prayer and absolute dependence on God, as David's immediate and instinctive response to societal decay is to cry out for divine intervention, recognizing the utter inadequacy of human efforts in the face of widespread moral corruption. This reliance on God as the sole refuge is a foundational concept in the Psalms, powerfully articulated in passages like Psalms 46:1. Furthermore, the verse implicitly establishes a stark contrast between the faithful and the faithless, a dichotomy central to both wisdom literature and the Psalter. This highlights the ongoing spiritual struggle between those who uphold God's standards and those who do not, a theme explored in depth from the very beginning of the Psalter in Psalms 1.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root (H3467) means "to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor." It encompasses concepts of deliverance, salvation, and rescue. In David's urgent cry, it is not merely a request for assistance but a desperate plea for divine intervention to save from an overwhelming and dire situation. It highlights the psalmist's recognition that only God's sovereign power can remedy the profound moral and spiritual crisis he observes.
Derived from the Hebrew root ḥesed (covenant loyalty, loving-kindness), this noun (H2623) describes one who is "kind, i.e. (religiously) pious (a saint)." A chasid is an individual characterized by devoutness, piety, and righteousness, someone who embodies covenant faithfulness and demonstrates God's loving-kindness in their actions and character. David's lament over their "ceasing" signifies the perceived vanishing of these virtuous individuals, indicative of a severe spiritual and moral decline.
This primitive root (H539) means "to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain." While the KJV translates the plural form emunim (trustworthy ones), the root ʼâman conveys the core meaning of reliability, steadfastness, and unwavering adherence to truth and promises. The psalmist's observation that such individuals "fail" underscores a profound breakdown of social trust and the absence of dependable people in society, deepening the sense of moral decay.
Verse Breakdown
"Help, LORD;"
This opening phrase is a direct, impassioned, and intensely personal appeal to Yahweh (H3068), the covenant God of Israel. It signifies the psalmist's immediate and instinctive turning to the divine as the sole source of hope, deliverance, and salvation in a moment of profound crisis. It is an acknowledgment of God's absolute sovereignty and His unique power to intervene effectively where all human efforts have proven futile or insufficient.
"for the godly man ceaseth;"
This clause presents the primary and urgent reason for the psalmist's distress and desperate plea. The observation that the "godly man" (the chasid), characterized by piety and covenant loyalty, is "ceasing" (H1584, gâmar, meaning "to end, in the sense of completion or failure") indicates a profound spiritual and moral crisis within society. The verb conveys a sense of finality and utter absence, suggesting not merely a reduction in number but a perceived, alarming disappearance of true righteousness.
"for the faithful fail from among the children of men."
This second clause functions as a powerful parallel and reinforcement of the first, deepening the lament and expanding its scope. The "faithful" (the emunim), those who are trustworthy, reliable, and steadfast in their integrity, are seen to "fail" (H6461, pâçaç, meaning "to disperse, i.e. (intransitive) disappear") from human society. This double lament emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the moral decline, affecting both individuals' piety towards God and their integrity in human relationships, indicating a complete breakdown of social and spiritual order.
Literary Devices
Psalms 12:1 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its urgent message and the psalmist's deep anguish. The most evident is Lament, as the verse opens with a direct, impassioned cry of distress ("Help, LORD") and a clear statement of profound sorrow over a perceived loss of virtue. This immediately establishes the emotional and thematic tone for the entire psalm. Parallelism is prominently featured in the two clauses describing the vanishing of virtue: "the godly man ceaseth" is directly mirrored by "the faithful fail from among the children of men." This synonymous parallelism not only reinforces the central idea of moral decline but also broadens its scope, emphasizing both the internal state of piety towards God and the external manifestation of trustworthiness in human interactions. Furthermore, the language borders on Hyperbole, as David expresses the intensity of his feeling that such individuals are entirely gone, even if a small remnant might still exist. This rhetorical exaggeration serves to powerfully highlight the severity of the perceived moral vacuum and the psalmist's deep anguish, thereby underscoring the profound urgency of his plea to God.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 12:1 articulates a timeless theological truth concerning humanity's inherent fallenness and the pervasive nature of sin, which inevitably leads to a decline in righteousness and faithfulness within society. David's lament resonates deeply with the broader biblical narrative of a world groaning under the weight of sin, where truth, integrity, and genuine piety are often casualties. Yet, even within this despairing observation, the psalmist's immediate turning to the Lord underscores a fundamental theological principle: God remains the ultimate, unwavering source of help and the only one capable of preserving a remnant of righteousness or restoring a fallen society. This tension between human depravity and divine sovereignty is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, highlighting God's immutable character and steadfastness in stark contrast to human fickleness and moral decay. The lament implicitly sets the stage for God's promised intervention and the ultimate triumph of His righteousness.
Reflection and Application
David's poignant lament in Psalms 12:1 offers a profound and challenging mirror for contemporary believers. In an age often characterized by moral relativism, widespread deceit, a pervasive sense of distrust, and a perceived erosion of traditional values, the psalmist's urgent cry, "Help, LORD," remains profoundly relevant. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that our primary and most vital response to societal decay and moral decline is not despair, cynicism, or withdrawal, but fervent prayer and an earnest appeal to God. It compels us to recognize His ultimate authority, His unwavering character, and His sovereign power to bring about transformative change even in the darkest of times. Furthermore, Psalms 12:1 issues a powerful challenge to us as individuals and as the church: if godly and faithful people are perceived to be diminishing, then those who claim faith in Christ are called to embody these very qualities with greater intentionality and courage. Our lives, marked by unwavering integrity, steadfast truthfulness, and authentic devotion to God and neighbor, become a counter-cultural testimony. They shine as beacons of hope and light in a world that desperately needs to see genuine righteousness. By living out our faith authentically and consistently, we not only reflect God's character but also actively participate in His redemptive work, demonstrating that faithfulness has not, in fact, utterly ceased, but is alive in His people.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "Sheminith" mean in the superscription, and how does it relate to the psalm's message?
"Sheminith" (Hebrew: שְׁמִינִית, Sheminith) is a musical instruction found in the superscriptions of Psalms 6 and 12. While its precise meaning is debated among scholars, the most widely accepted interpretation is "the eighth," suggesting a musical setting played on a lower octave, a bass instrument, or an eight-stringed instrument. In the context of Psalms 12, which is a profound lament, this musical direction likely indicates a somber, deep, or serious melody, perfectly fitting the psalm's theme of distress over the moral decay of society. It sets a tone of gravitas and urgency, underscoring the psalmist's profound sorrow and desperate plea for divine intervention. The musical instruction ensured that the worshipers would engage with the psalm's weighty message in an appropriately solemn manner, emphasizing the gravity of the spiritual crisis described in Psalms 12:1.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 12:1, with its poignant lament over the perceived vanishing of the godly and faithful, finds its ultimate fulfillment and definitive answer in the person and work of Jesus Christ. David's desperate cry for "Help, LORD" foreshadows humanity's profound and desperate need for a perfect deliverer, as no "godly man" or "faithful" individual, no matter how righteous, could truly remedy the pervasive sin and moral decay of the world. Jesus Christ is the quintessential chasid (godly one) and emunim (faithful one), perfectly embodying divine loving-kindness, unwavering trustworthiness, and absolute righteousness. He is the one truly righteous man who did not "cease" or "fail" but remained steadfastly obedient to the Father's will, even unto death on the cross, as beautifully articulated in Philippians 2:8. His perfect life, atoning sacrifice, and glorious resurrection provide the complete solution to the very problem David laments: He takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29) and, through the power of His indwelling Spirit, creates new hearts within believers that are capable of true godliness and faithfulness (Ezekiel 36:26-27). In Christ, the promise of a people who are truly godly and faithful is realized, not by human effort or merit, but by His redemptive work. This culminates in His future kingdom, where righteousness will dwell eternally and perfectly (2 Peter 3:13), bringing an end to the lament of a world devoid of the godly.