We are excited to be starting a new series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.
Read Psalm 12 Listen to Psalm 12
Podcast (cnc-daily-psalms): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:49 — 1.1MB)
In his commentary on Psalm 12 in his book “The Bible in One Year” Nicky Gumbel quotes The Message version of verse 2: “everyone talks in lie language, lies slide off their oily lips. They double talk with forked tongues.” God hates lies, He hates deceit, selfishness, arrogance and greed.
David feels helpless in the face of the state of his world: the way poor needy people are so oppressed; he hears them groaning in their troubles and difficulties. He has started by asking God to help because godly people, those who live honest upright lives seem to have disappeared. He is praying that God will move in and stop it or take away the flatterers the liars, and boasters. God of course is not impressed with people who are good with words and use their abilities of persuasion for their own advantage. We see in scripture that He used people who did not have much/any confidence in their ability to persuade with words (e.g. Moses).
Jesus too demonstrates great concern for the poor and needy. Maybe we are all poor and needy in some area or another of our lives but God can speak truth into every situation and circumstance. His words are perfect for all scenarios. They are pure and good. David reasserts: the wicked will only appear to have supremacy when men allow that to happen. We can be confident that He will keep us safe and protect us.
Lord, thank you for your word which can speak truth into every situation. Please help us to maintain integrity and be focused on you during these unusual days.