Psalms 12:1. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
The Psalm speaks of a very discouraging time, and records a very dreary fact, but the psalmist is wise, and turns to God with that short, sententious prayer, «Help, Lord.»
Psalms 12:2-3. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
They will not be able to continue speaking falsely and proudly for over; a shovelful of earth from the grave-digger's spade will silence them, and a terrible display of God's justice will make them speechless for ever.
Psalms 12:4-5. Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
That is all it is, only a puff, the biggest brag of the wicked, the most tremendous threat against the Lord's people, is but a puff after all; and God will set his people high above all those who puff at them.
Psalms 12:6-8. The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt beep them, O LORD, thou shall preserve them from this generation for ever. The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted.
Now let us read in Jeremiah's prophecy, chapter 8. Remember, dear brethren, that Jeremiah had the very sorrowful task of warning a people who would not give heed to his warnings. He prophesied evil, evil which began to come upon the people even while he prophesied, yet they would not turn to God. I sometimes think Jeremiah was the greatest of all the prophets, because, in the teeth of perpetual opposition, with no measure of success whatever, he continued to be faithful to God and to deliver the message with which he was sent, weeping the while over people who would not weep for themselves.
This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 12:1.; and Jeremiah 8:1, and Jeremiah 9:1.