Psalm 12

SLIDE 1 It was a dangerous time. The nation was under attack from all directions. Leaders were corrupt and did many vile things. The religious leaders were unfaithful to God, and led God’s people astray. People were killing their own family members. Those in power were defiling themselves with alcohol and prostitutes. Deceit and treachery were rampant. Human life was not valued. No one could be trusted.

Sounds a lot like today, doesn’t it? But this is what was going on in Israel 3000 years ago. The last verse of the book of Judges summarizes the times very well: SLIDE 2

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. (Judges 21:25)

It was during times like this that our psalm for tonight was written. Turn with me to Psalm 12. SLIDE 3

This psalm, like most of the ones we’ve looked at so far, begins with an inscription.

For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.

We see that this is another psalm by David and there is again a note for the director of music. We’re also told that it is to be played or sung according to sheminith. This is the second time we’ve see this term, the first being is psalm 6. Most believe it to be a musical term denoting the lowest note sung by men’s voices.

The Psalm is divided into four parts of two verses each. SLIDE 4 In the first part David cries to God for help concerning those who are sinning with their lips. In the second, David makes his petition to God concerning how he wants God to help. In the third, he has the Lord’s word for it and David rejoices in that word. And in the fourth part David affirms his trust in God though he realizes that trouble is still very much present.

1 Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. 2 Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts. (Psalm 12:1-2)

We have no way of knowing what David was facing; we only know he was distressed. As he looked around him it didn’t look like there was anyone doing right.

David starts with the word “Help.” This word is sometimes translated as rescue, deliver, save, or even bring salvation. It is a powerful word, and is at the root for the name Joshua which means “the Lord saves.” And Joshua is the Hebrew form of the name Jesus. When the angel appeared to Joseph about Mary’s pregnancy, the angel said: SLIDE 5

“You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21b)

David was looking for God for help and deliverance because it seemed everyone had let him down. SLIDE 6 Of course that wasn’t true. We can mention several people who stood up for David and even risked their lives to help him. Jonathan stood up to his father King Saul on David’s behalf and even lied for him in order to protect David from his father’s wrath. Then in 1 Chronicles 11 we have a list of men who served David. It may have felt like everyone has deserted him or betrayed him, but it wasn’t true.

David isn’t the only person in the Bible that felt that way. For example, Elijah felt all alone. After defeating the prophets of Baal and praying for it to start raining, Elijah sent his servant home and then ran off to hide. There, alone in the wilderness, Elijah prayed: SLIDE 7

I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too. (1 Samuel 19:14)

Elijah knew that wasn’t true. In the previous chapter we read about Obadiah telling Elijah how he’d protected a hundred prophets. SLIDE 8

I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. (1 Samuel 18:13)

Elijah wasn’t alone, but he soon forgot about the others.

SLIDE 9 There are probably times when we feel like that as well. When my brother or I would complain about someone hurting our feelings, my mother would sing us a little song to cheer us up. The chorus went something like this:

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I go eat worms. Big fat juicy ones, eensie weensy squeensy ones, see how they wiggle and squirm.

There are actual verses to the song, but I won’t gross you out any more with them. Short of eating worms, it sounds like what David is saying. “God, nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. Please help me.” As he looked around he felt like he was all alone. In fact he declares that there are no more godly people and all his friends had disappeared. So who is left? Only those who lie and deceive each other with flattery.

To use flattery is to say what you think the hearer wants to hear with the purpose of gaining something for yourself. The last term David uses in verse 2, “with deception in their hearts” is literally translated “a double heart.” It describes someone who says one thing while meaning another. Sometimes it is called having a forked tongue – people say one thing to one person and something contradictory else to another. Which is meant? Which one is a true reflection of what they believe? It’s impossible to know.

David is considered to have been a prophet. Some have wondered if in this psalm he was talking about the condition of people just before the final judgment. However, he may just be talking about the condition of people in general. Have you ever known someone who lied? Have you ever known someone who used flattery to get their way? Have you ever known someone that sought to deceive others in order to get ahead? The truth is things haven’t changed that much since the time of David, at least not the condition of people’s hearts. As Paul wrote to the Romans: SLIDE 10

There is no one righteous, not even one. (Romans 3:10)

These words describe everyone apart from Jesus no matter what age they’re living in.

SLIDE 11 In the two verses David warns the sinful of God judgment.

3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue – 4 those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us – who is lord over us?” (Psalm 12:3-4)

David declares the kinds of sinful speech that God will stop:

Flattery

Boasting

Uncontrolled and rebellious speech

David was fed up with untruthfulness of those around him.

I recently asked Trenton how he was doing, if he was adjusting to life outside of prison. After spending several years behind bars it can be difficult. He said that he was, but that a problem he had – especially with people he works with – is how deceitful people can be. He said in prison you quickly learn to say what you mean and mean what you say. Other prisoners don’t put up deceit. He said didn’t miss prison, but he did miss that.

We can understand. We met too many people who you’re just not sure if they’re telling the truth. David looks for the day when God will put an end to the untruthful talk of those around him. He looked forward to the day when people told the truth.

It’s not just that people are untrustworthy, David says they don’t care and don’t think anyone can stop them. “Who will lord over us?” they ask. Who has control over them to make them stop? They don’t think there is anyone. They boldly declare boldly, “We can say what we want and nobody can do anything about it!”

In the New Testament, James also disagreed that people are free to speak in any way they want. We’ve seen in our study of James how James warns about having power over our tongues and how difficult it is to control what we say. James wrote: SLIDE 12

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. (James 1:26)

Then coming back to this subject in chapter 3, James wrote: SLIDE 13

We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. (James 3:2)

James mentions the tongue, but with social media it’s even more possible to communicate without talking. You can just type it. And what we’ve seen is an increase in worthless speech. I don’t know if the percentage has increased. Is there more hateful speech compared to helpful speech today than there was two or three decades ago, or is it the same ratio and we just see more? I don’t know. I just know there are a lot of people spewing out anger. People need to remember that God will judge them for how they speak. Jesus warned: SLIDE 14

But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. (Matthew 12:36)

Solomon gave this advice: SLIDE 15

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18)

We forget that our words can either cut someone or bring them healing. Solomon also wrote: SLIDE 16

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21)

I think that’s why Paul wrote: SLIDE 17

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)

So David asked God to put a stop to the deceitful talk of those around him.

SLIDE 18 In the next two verses we hear from God.

5 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” 6 And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times. (Psalm 12:5-6)

The reason God gives for acting is because of the oppression of the weak and the tyranny of those in need. God will act to stop those who have sought to hurt them. In this case those in need don’t fear for their lives, but it is their character that is being attacked. God is going to stop the oppressors and protect the reputation of those being attacked.

We should always remember that God has a special place in his heart for those in need. God hears their cries and promises to send help. Through the prophet Isaiah, God makes a proclamation that is later repeated by Jesus: SLIDE 19

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, SLIDE 20 to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn. (Isaiah 61:1-2)

God steps in to help the needy. And what is David’s response to God’s promise of deliverance for which he has asked? David declares that God’s words are like treasures, like pure silver or pure gold.

SLIDE 21 Today silver and gold are refined with a combination of heat and chemicals. However, for centuries there was only one way to refine them and that was through the use of fire. Silver, for example, would be heated until everything impure in them is burned off. Impurities remaining in the silver will rise to top. The silver is then left to cool and the impurities are knocked off. To ensure the purity of the silver the process is repeated. David says God’s word is like silver refined seven times. Remember, in the Bible the number seven represents perfection. There is nothing impure in what God says. That stands in stark contrast to what the people around him were saying. David couldn’t trust them, but he could trust God.

That’s the way we look at the Bible. It is God’s word. We can trust it completely. How sad that the world see the Bible as just another book written by men and containing errors. Because of that they don’t think they can trust it so they ignore it. But we build our lives on the teachings God gives us in his word. Though the words we find there were written more than two thousand years ago we find them still relevant and helpful today. So we allow those ancient words to teach us and guide us. We believe as Paul wrote to Timothy that: SLIDE 22

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

If someone won’t listen to God’s word, then what will they listen to? The only remaining option is the words of flawed people. You can see how ironic that is. They refuse the Bible because they say it was written by men and then go out and listen to men. They won’t place their faith in God but will place their faith in a science textbook. Who wrote that book? Why would anyone believe that and reject the Bible? Concerning God’s word the psalmist wrote: SLIDE 23

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103)

And Solomon wrote: SLIDE 24

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5)

You’re going to listen to someone. You’re going to build your life on something. What will it be? Will you build you life on the teachings and philosophies of people who you know make mistakes or will you build it on the word of God?

The French philosopher Voltaire lived during the 1700s. He boldly wrote that:

In twenty years, Christianity will be no more. My single hand shall destroy the edifice it took twelve apostles to rear.

Twenty years later, the house in which he penned those words was purchased by the Geneva Bible Society. They then used the house to publish and distribute the Bibles. Voltaire was exalted for a season, but he faded away. Not so the Word of the Lord. It remains this day and will remain throughout eternity. Quoting Isaiah, Peter wrote: SLIDE 25

24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:24-25)

God’s word in maligned and ridiculed, but it still stands. We can trust it and build our lives upon it.

SLIDE 26 In the final two verses David expresses his trust in God.

7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, 8 who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race. (Psalm 12:7-8)

David trusts that God will do what he says he will do. God will keep his words. Even though the wicked go about freely, even though wickedness is honored by people and righteousness is despised, the Lord is still God and he will protect his own.

How do we know what is true? How can we know what is false? When there’s not a lot of agreement how can we know what is right? The answer is the Bible. In God’s word we find truth. So we take what the world tells us and compare it to what God has said. God’s word become like a yard stick to measure against what the world is teaching. If what the world says is different, which one do we choose to trust? I’m going to choose to trust God’s word. David says God will keep or preserve his word and that God will guard us from this deceitful generation. Even though the lies of the world are being heralded, David says he will stick with the truth of God’s word and allow God to defend him.

In Acts 16 we read about Paul and Silas being thrown into a Philippian jail. First, they are falsely accused of starting a riot when they had not. Then, they were unjustly beaten without a trial and imprisoned. Rather than complain, they worshiped God. SLIDE 27

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. (Acts 16:25)

They didn’t protest but waited on God to save them and he did. Not long after midnight an earthquake shook the foundations of the prison loosening their chains. And then, instead of running away, they shared the gospel with the jailer, leading him and his family to faith in Jesus.

The next morning the city officials wanted to have Paul and Silas escorted out of town. When they discovered that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens the officials realized the mistake they’d made and fell over themselves trying to apologize. God brought justice to Paul and Silas.

If we get so busy defending ourselves we will never discover that God truly knows how to set the captive free. God knows how to restore our reputation. God knows how to deal with our wounded pride and the hurt that our attackers brought us. David wrote later in Psalm 37: SLIDE 28

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. SLIDE 29 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:1-4)