Psalms 12 "To He Who grants victory, on the eight-stringed instrument, for David". [Psalms 12:1] HELP, LORD; FOR THE GODLY MAN CEASETH; FOR THE FAITHFUL FAIL FROM AMONG THE CHILDREN OF MEN. <<FAIL>> Hebrew "pasu" from the root PaS, end, pass by. From this root we have the English word "pass". I was recently asked why do good people suffer so much? I answered that this question is discussed in the Book of Job, that on the whole good people do lead better lives and in general are much better off in the long run apart from exceptions. In addition we do not know the reason for everything but we can be certain that someone who leads a good life in the long run will be better off than if he did not. There are however exceptions and these are difficult to explain. David is praying to God for help since when the Evil in society begins to take control good people become fewer and less consistent. Everyone is human and normal decent good hearted people can also give in to the pressures of their surroundings and fall away sometimes without being aware of it. [Psalms 12:2] THEY SPEAK VANITY EVERY ONE WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR: WITH FLATTERING LIPS AND WITH A DOUBLE HEART DO THEY SPEAK. [Psalms 12:3] THE LORD SHALL CUT OFF ALL FLATTERING LIPS, AND THE TONGUE THAT SPEAKETH PROUD THINGS: Nothing wrong with giving compliments and seeing the good side of things but one should not lie or deceive or cheat others. In some lines of business deceptive behavior once began is difficult to free oneself from but it is possible. It is possible to climb out of the rut and the chains we enslave ourselves with. "Honesty is the best policy" is correct. [Psalms 12:4] WHO HAVE SAID, WITH OUR TONGUE WILL WE PREVAIL; OUR LIPS ARE OUR OWN: WHO IS LORD OVER US? A lot of non-religious people or at least those who do not believe in the Bible want to re-create the truth in their own image or in the similitude of their imagination. They seem to feel that by enunciate something that has a nice ring to it they can change reality. Believe in the Bible means accepted the authority of God Almighty beyond and over that of mortals. [Psalms 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. Most of us think we would never dream of oppressing poor people etc but we do through not paying proper wages, through overcharging people who are hard pressed, through not giving respect, through taking advantage of vulnerability, etc. These things often hinge on split second decisions that once taken we do not give second thought to. Poor people are often worse to each other than anyone else. We cannot change the world overnight. We cannot always reform ourselves and/or rectify what we have done in the past. BUT we can always begin to make things better and from there everything can be made right. [Psalms 12:6] THE WORDS OF THE LORD ARE PURE WORDS: AS SILVER TRIED IN A FURNACE OF EARTH, PURIFIED SEVEN TIMES. Learn the Bible. It will help you. It will also help others. You are potentially better than you think you are but perhaps worse in practice. [Psalms 12:7] THOU SHALT KEEP THEM, O LORD, THOU SHALT PRESERVE THEM FROM THIS GENERATION FOR EVER. [Psalms 12:8] THE WICKED WALK ON EVERY SIDE, WHEN THE VILEST MEN ARE EXALTED. Even if we disagree with the politics of a God-fearing person there is a high probability that he will be better than the alternative and society will usually benefit. Psalms Index HOME