Psalms 12:5 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

For the oppression of the poor; oppressed by Saul through the instigation and artifices of his fawning courtiers. Now; speedily, sooner than they imagine or expect. From him that puffeth at him, i.e. from him that despiseth him, and hopeth to destroy him with a puff of breath, or a parcel of words. See this phrase Psalms 10:5. Only there it is construed with beth, and here with lamed; which may make some difference. And the supplement in our translation may seem to be large, and not necessary. And the place is and may be otherwise rendered according to the Hebrew, without any such large supplement, I will set him (to wit, the needy last mentioned; so it is an ellipsis of the pronoun, which is most frequent) in safety: he (to wit, the Lord, mentioned before) shall speak (as this verb signifies, Proverbs 6:19, Proverbs 14:5 19:5,9, i.e. shall speak comfortably, by a synecdoche; or shall speak plainly, as this verb is used, Proverbs 12:17 Habakkuk 2:3) to him, i.e. to the needy here mentioned. Or, he, i.e. God, shall speak (to wit, in his wrath, as it is expressed, Psalms 2:5) to him, who is the cause of his oppression, of whom he speaks Psalms 12:3,4. Or, shall puff at him, as he used to do at his enemies, Psalms 10:5.