The Lord’s Promises Are Pure

Psalm 12

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by an eight-stringed instrument.

1Help, O LORD, for the godly are fast disappearing!

The faithful have vanished from the earth!

2Neighbors lie to each other,

speaking with flattering lips and insincere hearts.

3May the LORD bring their flattery to an end

and silence their proud tongues.

4They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content.

Our lips are our own—who can stop us?”

5The LORD replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless,

and I have heard the groans of the poor.

Now I will rise up to rescue them,

as they have longed for me to do.”

6The LORD’s promises are pure,

like silver refined in a furnace,

purified seven times over.

7Therefore, LORD, we know you will protect the oppressed,

preserving them forever from this lying generation,

8even though the wicked strut about,

and evil is praised throughout the land.

Have you ever felt the way the psalmist felt in these opening verses? After years of eluding the clutches of King Saul, David got news that the Philistines were plundering the border town of Keilah. With his men he hurried to Keilah’s rescue, routing the Philistines and bringing back all the plunder to its rightful owners (1 Samuel 23:1-12). David and his men were heroes.

But when King Saul heard that David was at Keilah, he sent his entire army to capture David. David learned of Saul’s plan and asked God for guidance. Would the people of Keilah betray him if he stayed in Keilah?

“Yes,” God responded, “they will betray you”—despite all David had done for them.

Betrayal is a stab in the back—whether you’re talking about friends who have not kept their promises, about allies who have proved faithless, or about associates who have said one thing but really believed the opposite.

Paul warned Timothy that in the last days, some will turn away from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1) despite all the Lord has done for them. And if you can’t even count on those who claim to know Christ, who can you trust?

In verse 6 of this psalm David assures us that we can trust in the Lord’s promises. His promises are perfectly pure, so we need not fear when we are surrounded by wicked liars.

Your Word like silver seven times tried

Through ages shall endure.

All those who in your truth confide

Shall find the promise sure.

OLD SCOTTISH PSALTER

A Word on Words

“Flattering lips” (verse 2) is literally “smooth talk,” and “insincere hearts” is literally “a heart and a heart,” referring to someone whose loyalties are divided.

Bible Networking

To learn more about the wickedness of those who lie, read 1 Timothy 4:1-2 and 2 Timothy 3:1-9.