It is not uncommon for a child of God who wants to please God and live for Him to feel alone and hung out to dry before the ungodly people around. David must have been going through one of those dry times of loneliness when he picked up his harp and played a melancholy tune that suited his emotions at the time. This psalm begins with a prayer of his and consists of a complaint and then a request.
The complaint is that he feels like there are no godly people around anymore with whom he can confide and find fellowship. In times like this, we need to seek out other saints of God and openly join together in fellowship. Prayer with another person is a great source of strength and comfort. Believers need each other. We "minister grace" to one another. If we look only at what is missing or what has been lost permanently, we will overlook what is here, what we have, and what is available to be a help to us. The verbal and personal support of God's people is such a blessing that we often say, "Thank God for His people. Every one of His children who is able to help when we need help is a blessing from God." That is often where our help from God comes. They are God's answer to our needs and the reason for us to stop complaining.
"The sons of men" may seem to be very nice and say nice things to us and about us, which makes us feel fuzzy and "good about ourselves." But flattery and deceit use unsanctified lips to speak the things they know our fleshly nature wants to hear. Sincerity does not flatter. Truth does not deceive. When effusive language comes so smoothly from someone's lips that we start to believe their words even though they are unreal, we are in a place of real danger. The tongue of a person can produce a great fire or sink a life as effectively as a torpedo can sink a ship.
When it seems like no one is near us who speaks honestly and sincerely, then we should go to where we can find those people we know who are sincere. Those same people will usually tell the truth without using it as a means to hurt, but to help and guide us. The Spirit of God uses the word of truth to sanctify us and bring us into a true understanding of ourselves, our lives, our calling, and our responsibility. The arrogant people will say, "Who is lord over us?" That independent spirit indicates that a person knows nothing of the grace of God. Grace is shown and offered to one who realizes they have a personal need they cannot meet and is not of an independent mindset. A wise person of common sense realizes their limitations and recognizes their need for God.
The second part of the psalm is an answer from the Lord. He does care for the downtrodden, the needy, and the weak. In this part of the psalm, the Lord promises to do for them what is needed and to confront those who oppose them. "I will arise" makes this very personal and powerful. Divine intervention will provide safety and salvation for those in need. When the Lord speaks, His words are in sharp contrast to the words of the ungodly. God's word is pure. No flattery, no deception, no hidden meaning to hide a hidden agenda. What God says, He means. His word has been tested and proven by millions of people, and His promises never fail. Silver that has been purified "seven times" is absolutely flawless. When we read them for ourselves and apply the truth they contain, we get our eyes off the ungodly and all that is going on around us. Then we can truly recognize the solid ground of truth on which we stand.
The psalmist is assured that the Lord will take care of those who need Him and want Him. For many centuries, the Lord's people have been preserved and kept by the power of the word of God and the teaching of the Holy Spirit to help them apply His truth to their needs. When we do so ourselves, the value of the scriptures is not lost to us, and we know there is no need to try to change it to suit ourselves. Problems and sin arise when God's people misinterpret the word of God or twist it to suit themselves and their opinions. The Holy God, through the Holy Bible, by the Holy Spirit, keeps, instructs, and guides us, His holy people, to a holy walk in an unholy world.
There is a cheap and ultimately worthless way of living that prowls around us on every side and makes it appear that the wicked will prevail over the righteous. That lifestyle is even exalted by the world, and most people will think that is what life is all about. We should never admire or desire anything that is evil. Nor should we envy the wicked when they prosper. That is only temporary, and what is even more important is that it is not what God wants from His own people.
PSALM 12. God is our Help against the treacherous word of men. The lies, flattery, and guile of men's words are contrasted with the words of the Lord, which are absolutely pure and absolutely trustworthy. This is a call for protection from those who try to manipulate us. v. 1. Living for God in a deceitful world can be difficult and lonely. Elijah felt this and wanted to die [1Kgs. 19:4,14,18]. When the general decline of faithfulness in the speech of men bothers you, seek out believers for support and strength. v. 2-4. Three specific charges are leveled against the faithless generation: [1] Lies – they are guilty of blatant deceit, white lies, half-truths, exaggerations, and broken promises. We may be tempted to believe that lies are relatively harmless, even useful at times. But God does not overlook lies. [2] Flattery – they heap insincere compliments on others. Praise is not the same as flattery; it is flattery when we tell a person what he is known not to possess. Flattery usually has some selfish motive. [3] Two-faced – they think one thing and say something different. They practice duplicity and intrigue. Each of these is eventually expressed in our speech. God will silence the ungodly lips. The tongue can be our greatest enemy because it can do great damage [Jas. 3:5]. v. 5-6. God promises to protect the downtrodden and confront their oppressors. His promises of protection from this generation are not only from its attacks but from compromise or complicity with it. Sincerity and truth are extremely valuable because they are so rare. Liars, deceivers, and flatterers think they will get what they want by deception. When we feel as though sincerity and truth have nearly gone out of existence, we have one hope – the Word of God. God’s words are as refined silver so we must listen when He speaks. There is no deceit, flattery, no double meaning, no error in God’s words. They can be fully trusted. v. 7-8. God protects His people. The wicked are continually on the prowl, exalting vileness and scoffing at virtue.