Psa 12:1-2 | Clarke | e4.org | PSALM XII The psalmist, destitute of human comfort, craves help from God , 1; gives the character of those who surrounded him, and denounces God's judgments against them , 2-5; confides in the promises of God, and in his protection of him and all good men , 6-8. NOTES ON PSALM XII The inscription to this Psalm is: To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David . See on the title of . The Arabic has "Concerning the end (of the world which shall happen) on the eighth day. A prophecy relative to the Advent of the Messiah." Some think that this Psalm was made when Doeg and the Ziphites betrayed David to Saul, see ; &c., but it is most likely that was written during the Babylonish captivity. Verse 1. Help, Lord ] Save me, O Lord; for merciful men fail, and faithful men have passed away from the sons of Adam. Make safe me, Lord; for haly failed, for lessed es sothfastnes fra sons of men . OLD MS.

‏ Psalms 12:1-2

PSALM XII

The psalmist, destitute of human comfort, craves help from God,

gives the character of those who surrounded him, and denounces God's judgments against them, 2-5;

confides in the promises of God, and in his protection of him and all good men, 6-8.

NOTES ON PSALM XII

The inscription to this Psalm is: To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. See on the title of Ps 6:1. The Arabic has "Concerning the end (of the world which shall happen) on the eighth day. A prophecy relative to the Advent of the Messiah."

Some think that this Psalm was made when Doeg and the Ziphites betrayed David to Saul, see 1Sa 22:9; 23:19; &c., but it is most likely that was written during the Babylonish captivity.

Verse 1. Help, Lord] Save me, O Lord; for merciful men fail, and faithful men have passed away from the sons of Adam. Make safe me, Lord; for haly failed, for lessed es sothfastnes fra sons of men. OLD MS.

Verse 2. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour] They are false and hollow; they say one thing while they mean another; there is no trusting to what they say.

Flattering lips, and with a double heart do they speak]

beleb valeb, "With a heart and a heart." They seem to have two hearts; one to speak fair words, and the other to invent mischief. The old MS. both translates and paraphrases curiously.

Trans. Dayn spak ilkan til his neghbur: swykil lippis in hert, and thurgh hert thai spak.

Par.-Sothfastnes es lessed, and falsed waxes: and al sa vayn spak ilkone to bygyle his neghbur: and many spendes thair tyme in vayne speche withoutyn profyte and gastely frute. And that er swyku lippis; that er jangelers berkand ogaynes sothfastnes. And swykel, for thai speke in hert and thurgh hert; that es in dubil hert, qwen a fals man thynkes ane, and sais another, to desaif hym that he spekes with.

This homely comment cannot be mended.