The Pure Words of the LORD (Psalm 12)

The Pure Words of the LORD

Psalm 12

Sunday, May 3, 2026 — Land O’ Lakes Bible Church

Introduction

One of the things that Science teaches us is that there are all kinds of hypothesis and theories out there. But they are just that until they have been tested and proven. For it is only when theories and hypothesis are tested and proven true are they allowed to become scientific facts.

But what happens when the world is turned upside down? When testing and proving of hypothesis and theories are no longer the norm for determining facts? What if hypothesis and theories are taken to be fact without testing?

Well, you get a world whose foundations is no longer fact and truth but lies and untested theories. A world much like the world that we live in.

A world where many declare that there cannot be such a thing as a good God, because evil exists. A world that declares that there is no creator or any foundational truth, so we are to live life the way that we best see fit. A life where you do you and I do me, because we define our own moral truths.

Or to quote a former professor of mine, Dr. Jim Hamilton,

“when people say that this world evolved out of nothing rather than having been created by God, when people say that two men or two women can marry and those who say otherwise are bigots, and when all manner of rebels against God and Christ can think that their ability to persuade people will enable them to overcome the Lord himself.”[1]

Unproven theories and lies govern much of the world in which we live. For the world around us has declared man to be our own gods while denying the LORD who created the heavens and the earth, including man in his image.

But the question arises, if this is the world in which we live, where are the faithful and how are they to respond? We get such an answer in our passage this morning from Psalm 12.

So please then take out your Bibles and turn there with me to Psalm 12. If you do not have a Bible or are unfamiliar with the Bible, let me encourage you to look there at the seat in front of you. You will see there a Red Bible. Grab that and open it to page #533 where Psalm 12 begins.

Recap: We began our time in the Psalms by looking at Psalm 1 and 2. These two Psalms are the foundation for the whole of the book of Psalms, pointing us to the blessed (or happy) one and to the Anointed King of the LORD.

Then in Psalms 3-9, we saw conflict and cries to the LORD for help. But now, in Psalms 10-14, we have been considering who the wicked are who rage and plot against the LORD and his Anointed. And we are also seeing how we are to maintain faith in the LORD while living in the midst of these wicked ones.

Two weeks ago in Psalm 10, we saw a cry to the LORD who seemed to be far away while the wicked prevailed. Yet, hope was realized when remembering that the LORD is king forever and ever. And that he inclines his ear to the afflicted.

Then last week, there in Psalm 11, we saw that the LORD is our refuge. A refuge even in the midst of the wicked bending their bow and firing at the upright in the darkness of night. For the LORD sees what man cannot, and he protects his people while consuming the wicked with his wrath.

And now we turn to this foundation of lies with Psalm 12. Let us then hear the word of the LORD here…

Main Idea: Empty words fill the world in which we live, but the words of the LORD are pure and therefore worthy of our trust. 

1. The Prayerful Plea of the Faithful (Ps 12:1)

2. The Empty Words of the Wicked (Ps 12:2-4)

3. The Arising Action of the LORD (Ps 12:5)

4. The Pure Words of the LORD (Ps 12:6-8)

1. The Prayerful Plea of the Faithful (Ps 12:1)

As with the other Psalms in this section, the tone of the Psalm is set in the first verse. We then read again there in verse 1….

We see here in this first verse, both David’s plea and the situation at hand.

Working backwards, we start with the situation. Just as we have been looking at the last couple of weeks, wickedness seems to be prevailing. David is seemingly still on the run, likely from that of his own son Absalom as noted back in Psalm 3. For Absalom has plotted against his father in wickedness, forcing the Anointed King to flee.

Therefore, the one on the throne is rooted in wickedness and not righteousness. This causing wickedness to continue to increase to the point that it seems as if wickedness is the norm and faithfulness has seemingly vanished.

This is why David cries out that the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children (sons) of man. For he isn’t declaring that he is the last faithful one, but that faithfulness is so rare that it seems that all are gone. For the faithful are in the minority and that they are greatly outnumbered, out manned, and out gunned by the wicked.

Furthermore, David has been chased from the throne, and the prevailing of wickedness begins to show signs of defeat for the blessed man of Psalm 1 and the Anointed King of Psalm 2. For such flourishing for the blessed man rooted in the law of the LORD seems far gone. The rule of God’s Anointed King seems to have vanished.

But even as things seem impossible and doubt arises, David cries out to the LORD. He cries out, Save, O LORD. Save יְ֭הוָה.

Beloved, this is one of the beautiful things about prayer. Prayer is not us coming as those who have our requests put together nicely and coherently. Prayer is not something we do as those who are even strong. Prayer is an act of utter dependence upon the LORD.

Prayer is an act much like that of a child running up the stairs in the middle of the night because they are scared from a bad dream, wanting mom and dad to bring them relief from whatever it was that frightened them, even if they can’t articulate what it was that scared them.

And so, it is when we come to יְ֭הוָה in prayer. We come, declaring our dependence upon him and need for his aide when all seems hopeless from the grimness of the world around us. Pleading for him to act by saving us.

Christian, the world around us may feel grim. For often we may feel like that of David that the faithful ones are vanished, that the godly are gone. And to a degree that may be true.

But we have a Father in heaven on whom we can cry out to! We like David, can cry out, Save יְ֭הוָה. We can cry out for יְ֭הוָה to save the faithful, the godly one. We can cry out for יְ֭הוָה to even save the wicked so that they may turn from their evil unto the goodness and mercy of the LORD.

Therefore, let all the faithful in Christ lift up our prayerful pleas unto the LORD to save his people and to act according to his goodness and glory.  

That’s point #1, prayerful plea.

2. The Empty Words of the Wicked (Ps 12:2-4)

Why is it that David considers that the godly one is gone and that the faithful have vanished? Well, going back to Psalm 11:3, because the foundations are destroyed. What are those foundations? At least in part we find here in Psalm 12, that this is referring to the foundation of truth.

For rather than truth being the foundation, empty words have become the foundation of speech among people. We see this in verse 2, where we have three kinds of empty words being spoken.

First, the empty words of lies. Literally, the words that roll off the tongues of man to man, neighbor to neighbor are vain and empty words. They carry no truth, no weight, no value. Because they speak empty talk to one another. Therefore, whatever they say is not true words, hence why many of our translations say they speak lies to one another.

Second, they speak the empty words of flattery to one another. John Calvinhere is helpful in explaining this. He writes,

(Flattery) is derived from a word which signifies division. As those who are resolved to act truthfully in their intercourse with their neighbours, freely and ingenuously lay open their whole heart; so treacherous and deceitful persons keep a part of their feeling hidden within their own breasts, and cover it with the varnish of hypocrisy and a fair outside; so that from their speech we cannot gather any thing certain with respect to their intentions[2]

What treacherous speech flattery is. For it very well may tickle our ears, but it hides the snare to entrap us.

Thirdly, there is the empty words spoken from a double heart. Or literally, from heart to heart they speak. This communicating that much like the double minded, they are those who appear to speak from their heart, but their hearts are not with their words and elsewhere.

These three kinds of empty words are being uttered on the norm of society. And are fitting with the likely setting of Psalm 12 with David still fleeing from his son Absalom.

For note the empty words of Absalom that are recorded back in 2 Samuel 15:

2 Samuel 15:2–6 ESV

And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom here then speaks such empty words of lies, of flattery, and from his double-heart in seeking to turn the people against his Father David.

Truly, the Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon speaks correctly of such men in writing:

He who puffs up another’s heart, has nothing better than wind in his own. If a man extols me to my face, he only shows me one side of his heart, and the other is black with contempt for me, or foul with intent to cheat me.[3]

And how do such men with their empty words aim to cheat David? David tells us in verses 3-4…

The empty tongues boast that they will prevail with their tongues of empty talk. And because of their empty talk, they even bodly ask who is master over them? A question they will soon find answered.

It is no wonder then that David there in verse 3 asks that the LORD to cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts.

Tongues full of empty words are wicked. And just as this was the norm in David’s day, it is no different for us today. For as even was mentioned in the introduction, empty words are spoken in trying to root our society and culture in lies rather than the truth of God. Lies that aim to destroy truth and all that truth calls us to.

Empty words are being spoken even now among us.

· There are the empty words being spoken by society declaring that to love one another, we must love them not in grace and truth, but according to a new definition of love, loving them according to their own perceived truth. Loving them by affirming them for who they think they are.

· There are the empty words that declare that for us as mankind to be happy, we just need to be true to ourselves. Including, by reassigning gender if we think somehow, we were born the wrong gender. Change and all will be better. That is the empty talk that is prominent around us even now.

· Empty words telling us that it matters not who you love, go after your heart, even if it means exchanging natural relations between a man and a woman for the unnatural of a man and a man or a woman and a woman. The empty words that tell you to just follow your heart and all will be better for you.

· Empty words declaring that it is better to stay single, not have a family or children, because family and children are a burden rather than a blessing.

Beloved, these are just some of the empty words that fill our society with their lies and flattery and double hearts. These are the empty words that are even at work to both assault and press against many of you. Whether at home or work or in the community. So, how then do we rightly respond in a faithful and godly way?

First, we must not lose heart by remembering we are not alone in this. For like the last two weeks, these things were just as true in David’s day. They were true in the days of Jesus. For then the wicked religious leaders spoken empty words in pointing people that righteousness was rooted in man’s tradition rather than keeping God’s whole law within one’s heart. They spoke empty words, opposing Jesus. And this has been true also throughout the whole of church history.

Therefore, let us join the cry of David, Save us יְ֭הוָה. Even when we cannot put together a deeper prayer, let us cry out this cry to the LORD.

Second, let us cry out like David, asking that the LORD would cut off such flattering lips, such tongues that make great boasts. Us spending time praying, that the LORD would act and destroy the norm of such lies that are trying to destroy the foundations of truth, of God’s very truth.

Thirdly, let us keep watch of our own hearts. For these empty words are not only a concern for out there, but in how they creep into the church. The Apostle Paulo warned his young protégé, Timothy of this when he wrote this:

2 Timothy 4:3–4 ESV

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Beloved, we must then remain prayerful and vigilant that we are not given over in the church to such a tickling of ears. Desiring to hear words that flatter us rather than in hearing the word of the LORD.

(Further application? Church Membership importance here?)

That’s point #2, the empty words of the wicked.

3. The Arising Action of the LORD (Ps 12:5-7)

The wicked had declared that their tongues would prevail and asked who is master over us there in verse 4. But now an answer comes. Verse 5…

The very LORD that David has been crying out to in these Psalms, going back to Psalm 3, the one he has been pleading with to arise and act, now arises and is moved to action.

But notice what it is that moves the LORD to arise and act. He arises because the poor are plundered, and because the needy groan. He arises because he loves his people! And so, he arises to bring both judgment and salvation.

First, note the salvation that he brings from his words in verse 5, the LORD says that he will place him in the safety for which he longs. A salvation that comes, not in the faithful one’s strength, but in his weakness as the Lord acts with compassion towards his people.

For the poor and needy here is David, the Psalmist of Psalm 12. But the poor and needy are also those who are united with him in these sufferings.

But just as with every Psalm, Psalm 12 is pointing us not just to David, but an even greater King, King Jesus! And so, all who have come to Jesus and are united to him by faith, they are those whose cries the LORD hears and causes him to arise and act out of his merciful compassion on their behalf!

And this is possible because of the cross of Christ. For like here in Psalm 12 where David was maligned and falsely accused, Jesus who is the Son of David, was also falsely accused and maligned by his opponents. And with their empty words, they declared Jesus to be guilty of blasphemy and sentenced him to death on a cross.

And once he was plundered and nailed to the cross, Jesus himself begins to groan as the needy one. And as he cries out, the LORD arises. But he arises not to save His Beloved Son from the cross, but to pour out his wrath upon him. A cup that Jesus drinks in its entirety. And he does so, so that the judgment we all deserved for our own empty words can be swallowed by him.

And so, all who come to Jesus and are united to him by faith, can now be counted with him as the faithful ones, as the godly ones. Just as those here in Psalm 12 who were united to David.  

For the Christian, this is the good news of the gospel! It is the good news declaring that God’s salvation has come to rescue us. A rescue that comes not to change our circumstances in this world, but to ensure us that the wicked will not prevail. God’s promised rest is coming! The safety in which we long has come in Jesus!

However, in the arising of the LORD, salvation is not the only thing that comes. Judgement also comes. For as the LORD arises to deliver his people, he will also bring about judgment on the wicked, on all who have boasted from their wicked tongues, and spoken their empty words.

For you who are not Christians, you who have not believed in Jesus, you need to hear this carefully. The LORD arises to act in bringing his just judgment on the guilty and his salvation to the poor and the needy.

And so, you must ask yourself not have you done enough good or righteous things to receive God’s mercy. You must ask yourself will you continue to hold to the empty words and false promises of sin or will you turn and look to Jesus who himself endured the mocking lies of the scoffers to be pierced for your transgressions. And died and was buried, but on the third day, he rose again as the Triumphant Savior who defeated sin and death, so that you may now take up your life in him!

Friend, it is Jesus and all who are united to him who the Lord promises to arise and save! But he will too arise and condemn the wicked who reject this faithful one, King Jesus!

These are the actions that the LORD arises to bring about! That’s point #3.

4. The Pure Words of the LORD (Ps 12:6-8)

Empty words fill the world in which we live, so how can we hear these words then and trust that they too are not vain or empty words? Verse 6…

Where the words of the world are well, empty, God’s words are pure and true. There is no emptiness in them, no flattery, no lies, and no double heart. Our Triune God is one as we are told in the Great Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4. And therefore, our God never speaks from such a double heart.

And so, this word that is pure is compared to that of silver that is taken through the furnace to be tested and purified. This teaching us that the LORD’s words are pure and without any fault found in them and therefore worthy of our trust.

This includes all the words of the Bible, but especially the promise of Psalm 12:5 that the LORD will arise and act on behalf of the poor and needy!

A promise that is further solidified in verse 7…

The pure words of the LORD will be kept, and he will guard the faithful, the godly in Christ from the wicked generation forever! That is, the LORD will always guard his people throughout the ages. For as we see in the close of Psalm 12, the wicked will continue to prowl on every side. Their vileness will be exalted among the children of man in this world. But the day is coming that God will arise in final judgment against the wicked. A promise that we can trust because where the words of the wicked are empty, the word of the LORD is pure and he will keep them!

Therefore beloved, let us trust that the LORD will hold us fast and keep us through the ages!

Let’s pray…

[1]James M. Hamilton Jr., Psalms, ed. T. Desmond Alexander, Thomas R. Schreiner, and Andreas J. Köstenberger, vol. 1, Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic, 2021), 191–192.

[2]John Calvin and James Anderson, Commentary on the Book of Psalms, vol. 1 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 172.

[3]C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 1-26, vol. 1 (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers, n.d.), 142.