Psalms 12:1-2
Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The Psalmist isn't just lamenting the lack of good people; he's pointing out that both mercy and faithfulness have seemingly vanished from human interaction. This isn't just about piety, but about the fundamental breakdown of trustworthy relationships among people.
This psalm opens with a desperate plea for divine intervention in a time of deep moral decay. The psalmist laments that people who are godly and faithful seem to be disappearing, leaving a void where truth and integrity should be. This desperate cry is made against a backdrop of pervasive dishonesty and deception among people, suggesting a society where wickedness is becoming the norm.
When the world around you feels like it’s crumbling, and the very foundations of faithfulness seem to be disappearing, where do you turn? This psalm starts with an urgent cry.
The Cry for Divine Intervention
David opens this psalm not with a battle plan or a wise strategy, but with a direct plea: 'Save, O LORD!' This isn't just a casual request; it’s an outcry born from a crisis. The situation is so dire that human efforts and reliable people are nowhere to be found.
When 'Godly' and 'Faithful' Disappear
David laments that 'the godly one is gone' and 'the faithful have vanished.' The words used here (translated from Hebrew terms often meaning 'merciful,' 'kind,' or 'trustworthy') describe people who should be the bedrock of society. Their absence signifies a profound societal decay, where integrity, kindness, and loyalty seem to have evaporated.
It’s a stark picture: not just a lack of good people, but a noticeable vanishing. This suggests a widespread moral and spiritual decline where those who once stood for what was right have either fallen away, been silenced, or are no longer discernible.
What happens when the people who should be sources of trust and integrity start to fail? David points to the rot that begins in the heart and spills out into speech.
More Than Just Absence
David isn't just mourning the lack of godly and faithful people; the context (especially in the following verses, though not included here) reveals why they seem to have vanished. It's not just that they are gone, but that the remaining people are characterized by deceit and flattery.
The Danger of Divided Loyalty
The commentary highlights the concept of a 'double heart.' This describes a person whose outward words and actions don't match their inner intentions. They speak with 'lips of flattery' and a 'double heart,' meaning they say one thing but mean another. This is the opposite of faithfulness, which is rooted in sincerity and truth.
Understand the original words
hôshî‘âh · Hebrew Verb
A petition for divine intervention, rescue, or deliverance from danger, distress, or judgment. It acknowledges God as the only source of ultimate salvation.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel, emphasizing His self-existence, faithfulness, and eternal nature.
châsîd · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
One who is marked by covenant loyalty, kindness, and devotion to God; often associated with those who experience God’s loyal love (hesed).
’ĕmûnîm · Hebrew Noun
Those who are reliable, trustworthy, and firm in their adherence to God's truth and covenant commitments.
This psalm captures the desperate cry of a leader and his followers who felt abandoned by their peers and surrounded by deceit during a time of intense political persecution and social decay.
c. 1030-1010 BC— this verse
Saul's Persecution of David
King Saul, driven by jealousy and insecurity, actively pursued David, viewing him as a threat to his throne. This period saw many of David's supporters forced into hiding or joining him in exile.
c. 1025 BC
Saul's Distrust and Witchcraft Ban
Saul outlawed spirit mediums and sorcerers, yet controversially consulted the witch of Endor himself. This reflects a broader societal and religious instability, with a decaying moral compass.
c. 1010 BC
David's Flight to Ziph
David and his men sought refuge in the wilderness of Ziph, where the inhabitants betrayed their location to Saul, highlighting the lack of trustworthy allies.
c. 1010 BC
David in the Wilderness of Maon
David and his followers were cornered by Saul in the wilderness of Maon, only escaping due to Saul being called away to deal with a Philistine raid.
This passage echoes the lament of Psalm 12:1, painting a bleak picture where 'the godly have vanished from the earth' and 'all live by plotting murder.' It shows that this cry of despair wasn't isolated to David's time but a recurring theme in Israel's history.
Isaiah 59:14-15Here, Isaiah describes a similar societal breakdown where 'justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the public squares, and honesty is nowhere to be found,' directly paralleling the vanishing faithfulness described in Psalm 12:1.
2 Timothy 3:1-5Paul warns Timothy about difficult times in the last days, describing people as 'lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant... treacherous, reckless....' This paints a vivid picture of the 'children of man' without faithfulness that the Psalmist grieves over.
Romans 1:28-32This passage lists a society 'filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice...' and notes that they 'not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.' This helps explain the pervasive lack of faithfulness the Psalmist observes, showing how society can normalize what is ungodly.
calvinPsalms 12:1-2: "<> Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men."
- Save me, O Jehovah; for the merciful man hath failed, and the faithful are wasted away from among the children of men, 2. Every one speaketh deceit [or falsehood] with his neighbor; they speak with lips of flattery, with a double heart. [254]
To the chief musician upon the eighth. With respect to the word eighth, there are two opinions among interpreters. According to some, it me…
clarkePsalms 12:1: "To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men."
Help, Lord - Save me, O Lord; for merciful men fail, and faithful men have passed away from the sons of Adam. Make safe me, Lord; for haly failed, for lessed es sothfastnes fra sons of men. Old MS.
The Psalmist isn't just lamenting the lack of good people; he's pointing out that both mercy and faithfulness have seemingly vanished from human interaction. This isn't just about piety, but about the fundamental breakdown of trustworthy relationships among people.
This psalm opens with a desperate plea for divine intervention in a time of deep moral decay. The psalmist laments that people who are godly and faithful seem to be disappearing, leaving a void where truth and integrity should be. This desperate cry is made against a backdrop of pervasive dishonesty and deception among people, suggesting a society where wickedness is becoming the norm.
This psalm opens with a desperate plea for divine intervention in a time of deep moral decay. The psalmist laments that people who are godly and faithful seem to be disappearing, leaving a void where truth and integrity should be. This desperate cry is made against a backdrop of pervasive dishonesty and deception among people, suggesting a society where wickedness is becoming the norm.
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When people can no longer be trusted because their hearts are divided – serving themselves, their own interests, or deceit rather than God and truth – then society loses its moral compass. This creates an environment where genuine faithfulness struggles to survive.
shâv’ · Hebrew Noun
Falsehoods or deceptive speech; speech that is contrary to God’s nature of truth, often used to mislead or manipulate others.
sâphâh châlâqôt · Hebrew Noun Phrase
Speech intended to praise someone insincerely to gain an advantage or manipulate, lacking integrity or genuine love.
lêv vâlêv · Hebrew Noun Phrase
Refers to duplicity, insincerity, or a divided mind; lacking moral unity or honesty before God and others.
"Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak." — The Psalmist isn't just lamenting the lack of good people; he's pointing out that both mercy and faithfulness have seemingly vanished from human interaction. This isn't just about piety, but about…
