Psalm 12

Psalm 12 is the 12th psalm from the Book of Psalms. It is a Psalm of lament, internally cited as being a psalm of David.

Text

From the King James Version.^[1]

1. Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
2. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
3. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
4. Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
5. For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
6. The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
8. The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

Interpretation

Christianity

The reformation theologian John Calvin in his commentary of the psalm interprets the passage as referring to the truthfulness of God in contrast to humanity, saying that the elaboration of God's actions in the psalm reflect promises God had made with the Israelites.^[2]

Uses

Judaism

• Is recited on Shmini Atzeret.^[3]
• Is recited at a brit milah.^[4]

References

1. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2012&version=KJV
2. Calvin, John (1850). King, John, ed. Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. 8: Psalms, Part I. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
3. The Artscroll Tehillim page 329
4. The Artscroll Tehillim page 329