Sermon Tone Analysis
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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.
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