Sunday, November 16, 2014

Psalm 12



Everything that God is doing throughout history is aimed at the exaltation of His Son, the Messiah and Lord, Jesus.  But at nearly any moment in history God’s people have been able to look around and see a world that looks like anything but a world where Jesus reigns.  And at times, as in this Psalm, there have been times when it seems God’s people are in such a dwindling minority that their very existence is in doubt.  Around them are people who, by their proud words and threats, seem to boast, “Who is lord over us?”  Wickedness prowls on every side when vileness is exalted rather than the Son of God.  The “poor and needy” yearn for safety in these times.  The answer to this yearning is found in God’s words.  His words are pure and proven.  The intimidation of the empty words of men are no match for the promise of God who can and will always keep His word.

This exaltation of the wicked is the subject of vs.1-4.
·        v1: The seeming disappearance of the godly is not only because of the words of the wicked; it is because fewer men choose to be godly, desiring instead to join in the exaltation of what is vile.  You may remember that Elijah lived in a time like this (I Kings 19, cf. 19:10).  He thought that he was the only one left.  God reminded Him that there was, in fact, a remnant of several thousand that He was protecting.  That’s the idea here.  As David says, the godly cease, the faithful disappear.   But instead of becoming discouraged as Elijah did, we need to put our trust in the Lord as David does here.
·        v2: David describes the words of the arrogant. 
·        They speak idly.  Their words are empty, meaningless.  Let us consider our own conversations; are we talking about things that matter?  things that glorify God and exalt what is good?
·        They speak flattery.  The Hebrew means they speak “smooth” words.  This is the way of man.  He has nothing to offer, he cannot make promises of substance because he is man and not God.  So what he does is to use the hypocrisy of flattery so as to gain a following.  This is the nature of false teaching (Rom. 16:18; Jude 16).  It is not to be the way of God’s men (1 Thess. 2:5).
·        They speak with a double heart.  They were deceitful, as the hypocrites, speaking one thing while they had other plans and intentions in their heart.
·        v3-4:  David’s answer is to bring this to the Lord.  He does not simply bemoan the fact, nor does he allow discouragement to set in.  But he also realizes this is not something he can take care of himself.  This kind of treachery requires the Lord.  But more than that, it is the Lord’s issue.  What these wicked talkers are doing is challenging God.  They are in fact saying, “who is lord over us?”
 The answer from God is found in vs. 5-8.
·        v5: First God makes a promise.  “I will arise … I will set him (the poor and needy) in the safety for which he yearns.”  This is good news.  God is able to make a promise and keep it, unlike the shallow men who oppress the godly.   And this is enough to encourage the godly.  Why?
·        v6-7: Because the words of God are pure and proven.  God never speaks the lies of flattery or hypocrisy.  And God has never failed to keep His word.  This realization should be the ultimate encouragement to His people!  Do we not find hope in the word of God?  Do we not count on His keeping and preserving promises? 
·        v8: These closing words remind God’s people that the problem they face living in a world of sinners will continue to be a problem as long as vileness is exalted.  This term refers to what is “worthless”.  It is a reminder again as to what must fill the lives and conversations of God’s people.  Are our conversations filled with Christ who is totally “worthy”?  Do we allow the vileness of the flat screen and the big screen to fill our minds?  As long as that kind of emptiness is exalted the wicked will be on the prowl.  May it not be so among the elect.  Here is what our Lord commands to be the nature of our words: “neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks” (Eph. 5:4).

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