Psalms 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.
Ver. 1. Help, Lord] It was high time to call to heaven for help when Saul cried, Go, kill me up the priests of Jehovah (the occasion, as it is thought, of making this psalm), and therein committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, as some grave divines are of the opinion, 1 Samuel 22:17. David, after many sad thoughts about that slaughter, and the occasion of it, Doeg's malicious information, together with the paucity of his fast friends and the multitude of his sworn enemies at court, breaks forth abruptly into these words, "Help, Lord," help at a dead lift. The Arabic version hath it, Deliver me by main force, as with weapons of war, for the Lord is a man of war, Exodus 15:3 .
For the godly man ceaseth] Heb. the merciful man, who, having obtained mercy from thee, would show me mercy, and defend mine innocence; such as these are banished the court, which is now possessed by parasites and sycophants.
For the faithful fail] Veraces, the true and trusty ones, such as a man may safely confide in; these are rare birds. See Micah 7:1,3, &c., See Trapp on " Mic 7:1 " See Trapp on " Mic 7:2 " See Trapp on " Mic 7:3 " When the Son of man cometh shall he find faith (in this sense also) in the earth? Luke 18:8, hard and scarce. When Varus was slain Augustus complained that now he had none left that would deal plainly and faithfully with him. Lewis XI of France would say, that he had plenty of all things but of one. And being asked of what? Of truth, quoth he, Aurelian the emperor was brought and sold by his counsellors, for he might know nothing but as they informed him. David complaineth of Saul, that he was too apt to hearken to every claw back tell tale, 1Sa 24:9; 1 Samuel 26:19, so that he could have no fair dealing.