Christian Photographers Community

Psalm 12


This is a song for vexed and frustrated people, and it's also for relatively poor, unnoticed people, for people who won't be helped much by the civil authorities because they're just not important enough (the "authorities" might even be part of the problem).  It's a song intended to bring hope to such people, a song that speaks to them with the voice of God's salvation!

They begin the song with their complaint.  They cry out, "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases!  For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.  They speak idly every one with his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak."  Does it sound like modern politics?  It should.

At this point the people are 100% with the song leader because their innermost feelings have been expressed, he's able to lead them in a straightforward prayer for practical relief from the oppression they're experiencing.  In their prayer they plead with the Lord of earthly governments to rid them of these authorities who have flattering lips (to get votes?).  The flatterers speak "proud things," and they flaunt their authority and their high positions.  They explain their behavior by telling the people how busy they are and how they can't possibly help every person with every complaint. They say there are other, more important issues that they really must dealt with first. 

Not only so, but these so-called "public servants" feel that they can tell these poor people who come to them for help anything they want, because, as they put it, "our lips are our own; who is lord over us?"  These "authorities" have no concept of a real God Who sees every action, Who hears every word, who knows every thought - and Who CARES.

But the song leader leads the people to sing about the sure response of that loving, caring God Himself.  His words say, "For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise, says the Lord; I will set him in the safety for which he yearns!"   This is the sure promise of the Lord God of Israel, a promise He has repeated to them many times, a promise very dear to His heart because these are His chosen, His covenant people!

Such a realization should  bring consolation to these troubled souls.  It helps them to see that, "the words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times!"  In other words, as they hear themselves saying the words of this psalm, they will hopefully come to realize that God Himself really IS their Protector!  This is absolutely and always true, even though, as they are forced to say, "The wicked prowl on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men."

It's the same in every age, isn't it?  Corrupt, godless authorities become hard and uncaring about those under them.  But also true in every age is the fact that the Lord knows and cares - and will deal with them.  Let us pray even now with the confidence of the psalmist, for God has not changed!

Wow this Psalm was just what I needed today with all that has been going on in my life. After reading it I made it my own and my prayer for my situation.

The second thing about this particular Psalm is that it reflects today's news in the headlines." "But there are wicked people all around us". the very last sentence.

Verse 5 " But I will now rise up because the poor are being hurt. Because of the moans of the helpless, I will give them the help they want" Spoke to my own situation for today. It spoke to the very prayers I had prayed earlier for someone else as well as myself.

Thank you Jesus for those words of encouragement.
Amen

Me too, Marilyn!  With this psalm in our hearts we can walk through our world in confident prayer!