(Book study series - Psalms) - Message no. 12
(August 18, 2021 – WED p.m. – MBC baesa)

The believer’s life is not always smooth, there are moments of ups and downs, there are times when things will go bad to face many heartache, troubles and disappointments as part of your existence in this wicked world. Most of the bad times in the believer’s life are caused by other people who cause us the hardest, hurting, difficult situations, and these are people who look nice, with big influence and sound convincing. They are the people who looks like so caring and spiritual but smooth talkers. These people whom you expect as good are completely alienated from God and departed form His Word. These people do not possess the wisdom of God, so they do not what is the will of God. They never submit but disobeyed the authority of God.

They are deceiver of people as they twisted and distorted things.

Interestingly, the verbal attacks are the kind of attacks that wore David down most in his life. David could go one on one in physical confrontation against his enemy and prevail, but verbal attacks were much different, it is much devastating, discouraging, depressing and downgrading. Verbal assaults that were happening behind David’s back were not things that David could fight physically. It’s difficult to deal with.

The best and the rightest thing David could do was to run and turn to God. Every time when people would speak against David, every time verbal attack hits David, David would speak with God about those verbal attacks. That is a powerful lesson to learn instead of putting everything in your own hand.

PROPOSITION: WHEN THE WICKED ENEMIES VERBALLY ATTACKED THE FAITHFUL, GODLY PEOPLE OF GOD, THEY MAY RUN AND TURN TO GOD IN PRAYER AND ASKS FOR GOD’S HELP.

Wicked people with flattery lips and lying tongues surrounded David. It is always true that the godly were in the minority side and not in the majority. These arrogant, verbal attackers moved David to pray and talk to God personally and seriously. This Psalm 12 was written for the choir director and need to be accompanied upon an eight-string lyre (kudyapi).

Psalm 12 have five main parts:

I – PRAYER OF DAVID TO GOD FOR HELP – v. 1

Psalm 12:1 “Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”

Awit 12:1 “Panginoon, sapagkat wala ng sinumang banal, kami ay tulungan mo, sapagkat ang mga tapat ay naglaho na sa gitna ng mga anak ng mga tao.” FILIPINO VERSION

First, David prays and asking help from God.

The tile of this Psalm 12 is “Upon Sheminith” or “upon an eight-stringed lyre.”, the same title in Psalm 6:1-10.

Psalm 12:1-8 – has four division:

1. The complaint that the godly cease, while the treacherous prevail (verses 1-2)

2. The prayer that Yahweh will cut off these men of proud and false tongue (verses 3-4)

3. God’s reply, promising safety to the poor (verse 5)

4. The confidence in God’s words, though the wicked now walk on every side (verses 6-8)

Notice the word in verse 1, “Help, Lord” or “save.” This is the abrupt cry, without preface (paunang salita), it implies the desperate urgency of the danger. The absence of the object (it does not say “help me”, but it simply say “Help) which implies that the cry is not restricted to the Psalmist, but is common to all the godly left. The first word of both the Hebrew and English text is the word “help.” David needed the help of God and God wants us to realize that our strength and help comes from God. In the war we are facing in, we should be reminded that we will never win by relying upon our own sufficiency. God’s grace is sufficient.

Now the words in verse 1 “for the godly man ceaseth” indicates that the ground for appealing to the Lord for help is, the little flock of righteous is in danger of being overwhelmed by the ungodly generation on every side (verses 7-8). Micah had this Psalm 12 in view when he wrote Micah 7:2 which says “The good man is perished out of the earth” it talks about the godly man in Hebrew [chaaciyd (H2623)] this expresses one merciful and good in relation to man rather than to God. David asks God for help because probably he felt as if he was the only faithful man left on the earth and there were no other godly or faithful people who would stand by his side when he wrote this Psalm 12. The person to whom David could run and turn to for help was God.

No matter what dispensation you are in, the people who are godly, faithful, dedicated and loyal to the Lord are few and far from each other. Faithful followers are rare. We notice that people who are in minority not the majority are those people who love God and love His Word and love the leadership of God. Those people who respect, honor, obey and recognized David as the ordained King of God were in far distance and were few. But the people who would attack David, criticize and wants to kill David are in multitudes, opposite for the people who would defend, support and stand with David. So, David turns to and ask God for help and cry “Help, Lord.” It is a prayer to save.

We can see an eschatological view of the Tribulation in this passage. The Rapture will occur and eventually the faithful and godly believer will disappear, and when that happens, the only option that unsaved Israelites need to do is to cry out to God for help, as the ungodly, antichrist, satanic forces will continue to dominate, with intensified severe persecution against Israel.

II – PORTRAYAL OF DAVID ON THE WICKED – v.2

Psalm 12:2 “They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.”

Awit 12:2 “Bawat isa ay nagsasalita ng kabulaanan sa kanyang kapwa, sila'y nagsasalitang may mapanuyang mga labi at may pusong mandaraya.” FILIPINO VERSION

We notice that David gave his description of the wicked.

The Psalmist writes in verse 2 “They speak vanity.” It refers to a falsehood which means a speech that holds out hopes doomed to disappointment. It means nothingness or emptiness, in Hebrew [shaaw' (H7723)].

The words in verse 2 “every one with his neighbour”, indicates that these wicked speak vanity or emptiness with the very one to whom he is bound to be a friend, but whom he cheats with hollow assurance of friendship. This aggravates the offense, for that it is against his neighbor. The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:25 refers to this when he says, “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” The Psalmist continues to described the wicked in verse 2, “with flattering lips”, that is literally with a lip of smoothnesses (mahusay or matatas). This is the way the wicked speaks in treachery. The wicked not only speaks with flattery words but also “with a double heart” that is literally, an heart and an heart, it has with duplicity. Like for example “A double minded man” in Greek [dipsuchos (G1374) in James 1:8] is the person who has faith on the surface, but underneath lies unbelief. Ungodly professors have two hearts, two lords, two ends (tunguhin, layunin), two ways. No matter whatever the persons says, it comes from a “double heart,”

The description of a person here almost like every politician, because for the most part the goal of the politician is very similar to the goal of the wicked person. Actually, the aim for every wicked person is to attain power and control by using flattery words and lying lips.

The wicked people are expert in doing two specific things:

1. The wicked speaks in falsely lies

2. The wicked speaks with flattery lips

Both the flatterers and liars are not sincere and true to their word they have said or to their commitments. The wicked person can say flatter words and lies directly in your face to point that you do not have any doubt about it. Any person with a double heart finds no any problem to say one thing in front of you and to say another thing behind you. It is far better to be nearer around lions than to be near with liars. We need to speak the truth and avoid saying one thing in front of someone and saying another thing when a person turned his back. That is two-faced person, that is double-talk.

III – PETITION OF DAVID TO GOD TO CUT OFF THE WICKED – v.3-4

Psalm 12:3-4 "The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: ⁴Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?”

Awit 12:3-4 "Nawa'y putulin ng Panginoon ang lahat ng mapanuyang mga labi, ang dila na gumagawa ng malaking pagmamalaki,⁴ang mga nagsasabi, "Sa pamamagitan ng aming dila ay magtatagumpay kami, ang aming mga labi ay nasa amin: sino ang panginoon namin?"

Here David asks God to cut off the wicked, to put an end to the life of these lying, double hearted wicked.

The phrase in verse 3 “The Lord shall cut of all flattering lips” is the expression of confident that the Lord will hear the prayer with which the Psalm begins, “Help, Lord” (verse 1). For in order that our prayers may be heard, we must believe that God will grant them: as the Lord saith in Mark 11:24 “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” On the other hand, these wicked people described by David, believed they could accomplish everything they want to accomplish by their lies and deception, that is why David asks in verse 3 to "cut off all flattering lips." The prayer of David is against "all" who have used their flattering lips in a false way. David includes everybody.

David asks God to end all the flattery words of the arrogant because these wicked used their speeches in at least three ways.

The wicked used their flattery and arrogant speeches in three ways:

A. The wicked boasts regarding their possessed greatness – v.3b

Psalm 12:3b “and the tongue that speaketh proud things:”

Awit 12:3b "ang dila na gumagawa ng malaking pagmamalaki” FILIPINO VERSION

The phrase in verse 3 “and the tongue that speaketh proud things.” is literally, big things. It is like the tongue that boasts of its power to deceive, as in Isaiah 28:15 that says “We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:”

These wicked people are boastful and big talkers. They want you to believe that they are very spiritual and devout and very religious they are. They delight about who they are and very proud how great they assume they are.

B. The wicked boasts regarding their prevailing capability – v.4a

Psalm 12:4a “Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail”

Awit 12:4a " ang mga nagsasabi, “Sa pamamagitan ng aming dila ay magtatagumpay kami” FILIPINO VERSION

They want telling others how they will always prevail in every areas of their lives, they will never be disappointed, and will always free to do evil things whatever they wanted to do, can do everything that no one has ability to overcome them. They use their boastful words to convince others that they are the ones who will always prevail, they want others think they are best above others and fear nobody.

C. The wicked boasts regarding their powerful lordship – v.4b

Psalm 12:4b “our lips are our own: who is lord over us?”

Awit 12:4b "ang aming mga labi ay nasa amin; sino ang panginoon namin?” FILIPINO VERSION

In verse 4 we see those wicked who speaks proud things that says, “our lips our own” that is literally, our lips are with us or are ever at hand to effect what we please.

Then these wicked full of pride asks in verse 4 “Who is lord over us?”, their challenge is who is there to prevent our doing what we please? By our lips we can do what we will. Wicked people love to talk about how they are in control. They do not want anyone to tell them what to do so they think no one is going to lord anything over them. No highest law can bind them, no one can treat them, no one would forbid them of their evil plan. Those who are in true leadership with true authority will experienced the double hatred from the wicked people. The wicked appear to respect the true authority of those in leadership but actually they hate the authority of true leaders and even the authority of God.

David saw and know lot of these kinds of wicked people, that is why David prayed “cut” them “all” (verse 3).

The Bible says that when the coming of the Lord Jesus is drawing nearer, the proud, boastful, liars and rebellious against authority will rise to attack and in control. It will be rare for the society to have honest, God fearing and straightforward. For the meantime, the world may seem appear to be run by people who know how to play the right games and seems saying the right things. These people have the impression that know how to talk in ways that are politically correct and pleasing to the public. However, all of these will come to an end when Christ returns.

IV – PROCLAIMING OF DAVID IN BEHALF OF GOD – v.5

Psalm 12:5 “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.”

Awit 12:5 “Sapagkat ang dukha ay inagawan, sapagkat dumaraing ang nangangailangan, titindig na ako ngayon,” sabi ng Panginoon; “Ilalagay ko siya sa kaligtasang kanyang minimithi.” FILIPINO VERSION

David speaks in behalf of God. David proclaimed what God wants to say. God speaks through David.

Here we can see the Lord answers the complaint and prayer of faith. God directly responded and David apparently have it. David received information, but as to how we do not know, however, God was going to answer the prayer of David, as God revealed it to David. God expects that when God’s people surrounded by various troubles in life they would run and turn to God in prayer, that is the clear truth in the book of Psalms.

In verse 5, two times the Psalmist used conjunction “For”…”for” that would be stated “because the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy”. This is the cause, that is what motivates God to act.

The phrase in verse 5 tells the act of God as He said, “now will I arise, saith the Lord” that is literally, from…”from” [min (H4480)]. The distress and the sighing of the people of God are the starting-point from which the action of God proceeds. God would arise as revealed to David, and to make sure that the godly afflicted person was in a safety condition.

Two things that prompted God to arise:

1. complete ruin of the wicked

2. cry and requests of the righteous

The Lord will arise and immediately act to help His faithful people who are crying to Him because God saw how they were been demolish by the arrogant wicked people.

And the word in verse 5 “now” is emphatic. It seemed that God is saying, “Heretofore I kept silence, and did not interpose, but NOW that my people sigh and cry from their affliction, I speak and act.” Like in our passage here, there are two things which moved God in Exodus 2:23, those were Israel’s oppression and Israel consequent sighing. Exodus 2:23 “And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.”

The Lord said in verse 5, “I will set him in safety.” Like as IN a possession, where in God install His people.

God set His people from safety “from him that puffeth at him.” The people of God were in contemptuous scorn. Regarding the wicked we can compare that in Psalm 10:5 “His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.” The Hebrew [yaapiyach (H6315) “he puffeth” in KJV; translated in NASB and ESV “he longs” or in NKJV “he yearns” the same verb used in Psalm 10:5. It can be translated “I will set him in safety (who) sighs after it, that is after safety. We can have the another better translation “He (the once afflicted one being set in safety) “shall puff at him” (the proud enemy) verse 5. Thus, the wicked proud enemy that puffed at other shall be paid in kind. We see the believer’s confidence in the Lord’s promise.

The subject of eschatology regarding Israel in the verse is prophetically in view. The nation of Israel will experience devastation of the arrogant and cruelty of Antichrist during the tribulation period as the Antichrist will rise to control the world. That will move the Jewish people to finally cry out to God asking help and that is the moment God will arise and will answer the cry of His people (Matthew 23:39).

V – PONDERING OF DAVID ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS ON EARTH – v. 6-8

Psalm 12:6-8 "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. ⁷Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. ⁸The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.”

Awit 12:6-8 "Ang mga salita ng Panginoon ay mga dalisay na salita gaya ng pilak na sinubok sa hauno sa lupa, na pitong ulit na dinalisay. ⁷O Panginoon, sila ay iyong iingatan, iingatan mo sila mula sa salinlahing ito magpakailanman. ⁸Gumagala ang masasama sa bawat dako, kapag ang kasamaan ay naitataas sa gitna ng mga anak ng mga tao." FILIPINO VERSION

David thinks about certain things on the earth.

There are three thoughts that David had in the midst of troubles:

A. Valuableness of the Pure Word of God – v.6-7a

Psalm 12:6-7a “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. ⁷Thou shalt keep them, O Lord,”

Awit 12:6-7a “Ang mga salita ng Panginoon ay mga dalisay na salita, gaya ng pilak na sinubok sa hurno sa lupa, na pitong ulit na dinalisay. ⁷O Panginoon, sila ay iyong iingatan.” FILIPINO VERSION

David thought about the Word of God

The first things came to David’s mind when he was surrounded by troubles was the importance of the Word of God. David found great encouragement and got help from the Word of God.

The phrase “The words of the Lord” in verse 6 refers to God’s promise that is in verse 5 that says, God set in safety those who were oppressed and sighing unto the Lord because of the wicked. The hidden or ulterior truth by the Spirit is not restricted to this one promise, but extends to all God’s words, whether it is about promise or about threatening.

God’s words are all alike that is described in verse 6 “are pure words.” It means Word of God are without mixture of error; not like impure ore (mineral) which come from the earth and dross (basura) must be removed. God’s Word is pure.

Troubles, pressures in life and in the world should drive us to God’s Word. David wanted to learn and study “The words.” David wanted to understand and know every single words of Scripture. The words are inspired by God not only the concepts. David testified that God keeps His Word forever (verse 7).

We at the church stick seriously in teaching the Scriptures in spite of other attendees who comes late who are not on time during services, or church goers are not serious enough to attend regularly, or choosy what services they want to attend to, or having bodily presence but their mind flying away and wandering somewhere, or some who don’t apply the words in their lives, or some who are looking for other topics such as financial investments and other secular things, etc…

Numerous critics attacked the Holy Scriptures like the agnostic’s philosophies, atheists who attempts to dismiss the Bible and some scientists who tried to ridicule and teach contrary to the Scriptures but all of them prevail not.

The words of the Bible stand. God faithfully keeps and preserves His Holy Word; thus, it is very important for us to study and know more about the words of God as long as we are alive and living in this wicked world dominated by liars, evil and scoffers.

David described the words of the Lord in verse 6 “as silver tried in a furnace of earth.” They are purified silver of a lord of the earth that is not for common use. The Lord’s words to man’s word are what a prince’s silver is to common silver.

Notice the words “purified seven times.” that describes perfectly. Seven being the perfect number. Psalm 18:30 “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”

Then in verse 7, Psalmist claims, “Then shalt keep them, O Lord” – God will keep those people of God in safety from their persecutors.

B. Victory of the Protective hand of God – v.7b

Psalm 12:7b “thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

Awit 12:7b “iingatan mo sila mula sa salinlahing ito magpakailanman.” FILIPINO VERSION

David thought about God’s protection to the faithful and godly people of God.

God’s people will be kept in safety, and God preserved them “from this generation” according to verse 7.

The words “from this generation” indicates that the corruption was so universal (verse 1), that the ungodly represent the spirit of the age or the society “from” which the Lord would “preserve” His own chosen few. We can look at several texts in Galatians 1:4 “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”’; I John 5:19 “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”

It is translated in NASB “You will preserve him…” This seemed very personal because of the pronoun “him.” It means that no matter what generation a person lives in, God will always preserve and protects the believer who are faithful, committed to God, loves the Word, do God’s will and live in God’s perfect ways.

C. Vileness of the wicked against the people of God – v.8

Psalm 12:8 “The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.”

Awit 12:8 “Gumagala ang masasama sa bawat dako, kapag ang kasamaan ay naitataas sa gitna ng mga anak ng mga tao.” FILIPINO VERSION

Not only David thought about the protection of faithful, godly people of God but also David thought about the wicked

The Psalmist concludes as he describe the wicked people when he said in verse 8 “The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.” The first clause implies that there is danger to which the godly are exposed through the wicked “walking on every side”, like the testimony of David in (Psalm 3:6 “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.”).

Notice the description on this arrogant wicked people will be “on every side” of a godly, faithful believer. If you are faithful, righteous, godly people of God, you will find out that you will always be surrounded by some vile speaking, double talking, proud, evil people, drawn near upon you. They attack verbally and attempt to destroy the person’s lives and reputation by their flattery lips and by their lying tongues.

Now, the godly urgent need of help is a strong ground for their confidently expecting help form God.

The last clause “when the vilest men are exalted” is explained as an ending summary of Psalm 12.

But the words “The wicked walk on every side,” seems was a picture of depression to which the righteous have sunk as there is an elevation to the sons of men or are exalted based on last clause. The suffering of the godly from the wicked are a token (patunay, palatandaan, patotoo, katibayan) of their coming exaltation. God will recompense the godly for their depression now as those “sons of men” are weak and despised. Prophetically, Jesus will take vengeance to them that afflicted the godly who suffers affliction when Christ comes with the saints in flaming fire to judge and will pay the retribution to those who did not know God and believed not the gospel who will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. (II Thessalonians 1:5-12).

For us to have a satisfactory conclusion mentioning the believer’s hope, we must consider the parallelism between the first clause and the last clause. The last clause says, “vilest men are exalted.” translated “vileness is exalted among the children of man” in ESV; and translated “vileness is exalted among the sons of men” in NASB. Therefore, these refers to the “sons of men” who are the wicked, arrogant, evil but this do not refer to the righteous. Their past elevation (shall be) the depression to the sons of men namely to that wicked that is mentioned in the first clause “the wicked walk on every side.” These wicked, arrogant, evil people exalted themselves as gods, above all objects of worship (II Thessalonians 2:4 “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”). These wicked people shall be therefore be humbled below all things, and be viler (hamak, alipusta) than the clay. That is why in Psalm 82:6-7 it says, “Ye are gods…⁷But ye shall die like men”

Lessons we learn from Psalm 12:

1. When we find ourselves surrounded by wicked, evil, proud, arrogant enemies we need to run to God in prayer.

2. We must always examine ourselves and see to it we are not double hearted.

3. We must aim in our heart to study and know exactly what God had said in His inspired written Word of God.

4. We must always not to forget that God will keep His promises and protects, preserves His faithful believer.

5. We must remember that faithfulness to God, devoted to His Word and surrendered to His will, always in a minority of people and not in majority.