Latest / Reformed Thinking / God’s Pure Word in a Corrupt World (Psalm 12) | Matthew Henry

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God’s Pure Word in a Corrupt World (Psalm 12) | Matthew Henry · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to the deep dive. Today we're taking a stack of
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sources specifically looking at a classic commentary on Psalm
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12. That's right.
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And our goal is to really understand what Scripture says
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about living through, well, difficult times, times that feel
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unstable. And these sources, they lay out
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a picture of what makes times bad, and it might be a bit
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different from what you know you might expect.
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Yeah, it's not the usual headlines.
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Exactly. It focuses less on, say,
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economic hardship or conflict and much more on the state of
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people's hearts and their words. Truthfulness.
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The internal condition, really. So our mission in this deep dive
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is to pull out the core insights from this material.
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We want to unpack the key knowledge Nuggets, you could
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say. Yeah.
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Helping you see what really matters when the world feels,
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well, untrustworthy. And where true stability
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actually comes from amidst all that.
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So let's get into this source material together.
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OK, so right from the start the commentary makes this really
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clear distinction. How the Bible, or at least Psalm
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12 here, defines bad times is quite different from how you
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know the children of this world might see it.
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How so? Well, typically when people talk
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about hard times, they point to things like lack of money, maybe
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trade drying up, businesses failing.
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Material things, mostly. Right.
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Or you know, the devastation caused by war.
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And those are definitely hardships, no question.
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They cause real suffering of course, but the perspective in
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these sources and they link it to passages like Second Timothy
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3.1 says the fundamental vadnais of the times isn't mainly those
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external things. So what is it then?
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It's the abounding of iniquity, that's the phrase they use.
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The sheer prevalence, the increase of sinfulness, the
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breakdown of moral integrity that's presented as the root
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cause, the defining feature of the difficult times David is
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crying out about in Psalm 12. That's a really crucial
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distinction. It shifts the whole focus,
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doesn't it, away from just material problems to something
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deeper, A moral, a spiritual condition of society.
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So if the core issue is this abounding of iniquity, how does
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the commentary say this actually shows up?
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What are the specific signs, the indicators of this widespread
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wickedness, that make times bad in this scriptural sense?
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Well, the sources detail several specific conditions.
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They're presented as clear signs that iniquity is running
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rampant, marking the times as particularly bad.
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OK, what's the first one? The first indicator they
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highlight is a general decay of piety and honesty among people.
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Piety and honesty together. Yes, together, the commentary
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says time. Friends are truly bad when the
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godly man ceases and the faithful fail.
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And that phrase isn't just talking about fewer people going
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to church or being generally nice.
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It points to a specific kind of person, the godly man who is
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also faithful. OK, so there's a connection.
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A very strong one, according to the source.
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It argues you can't have true piety towards God without having
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honesty towards other people. Makes sense?
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A godly person in this view is naturally a faithful person,
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someone whose word means something you know.
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It's as binding to them as a formal oath or a contract.
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Someone you can rely on. Exactly.
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They make it a matter of conscience to be true both to
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God and in their dealings with others.
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And the source says these people cease or fail and few ways,
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well, perhaps they die or maybe they abandoned their faith,
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desert the cause of righteousness.
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Or, and this is sad, they might degenerate.
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They still look godly on the outside, but they've lost that
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inner faithfulness, that integrity.
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So the appearance is there, but not the reality.
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Right. And the result is a real
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shortage of genuinely good people, few of those the source
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calls Israelites. Indeed, it just becomes hard to
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find people of solid integrity anywhere in society.
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So it's more than just numbers decreasing, it's a loss of a
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specific kind of character, that blend of devotion and integrity.
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And I imagine this decay then impacts how people interact.
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Does that lead to the second indicator?
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Absolutely. It feeds right into it.
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That decay of character directly fuels the second marker of bad
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times. Conversation itself gets
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corrupted. Simulation, flattery, They
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become common. So people aren't straight with
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each other. Not at all.
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When iniquity abounds, the sources say, people generally
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lose their conscience about truth telling.
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Lying becomes almost normal, not just a rare thing.
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They speak vanity, which the source clarifies means falsehood
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and lies everyone to his neighbor.
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But it's often worse than just casual dishonesty.
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How so? It's often paired with
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flattering lips and a double heart.
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A double heart? What does that imply?
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The commentary explains the intention isn't harmless.
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It's about deliberately covering up malicious plans or
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self-serving motives with, you know, nice sounding words,
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plausible excuses, false professions of friendship.
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Saying one thing meaning another.
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Exactly. And the sources use this really
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vivid, chilling analogy from David's own time to illustrate
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it. They say people like this will
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kiss and kill. Wow, kiss and kill.
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Yeah, it's a direct reference to things like Joab murdering Abner
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and Amasa. He used a greeting, a kiss, this
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outward sign of friendship, to get close enough to strike a
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fatal blow. That's incredibly treacherous.
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It really underscores the depth of the deceit described.
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People might seem friendly, supportive, but inwardly they
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have ill will or destructive themes.
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So the practical result is. A complete breakdown of trust in
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society. If you're an honest person
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surrounded by this kind of duplicity, you just don't know
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who to believe. You can't dare put confidence
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even in someone who seems like a friend or a guide, because that
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double heart makes their outward behavior totally unreliable.
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That specific phrase? Kiss and Kill really drives home
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the danger, the treachery. When deceit is everywhere, it
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creates this atmosphere where you always have to be on guard
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because genuine sincerity is so rare.
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What's the next sign the sources point to?
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A third major indicator is the rise of and the boldness of
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impudent, daring enemies of God and religion.
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OK, so open opposition now, yes? When iniquity is abounding, the
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commentary says, proud sinners reach a new level of defiance.
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They're not just sinning quietly.
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They become brazen, open in their opposition.
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They actually threaten to undermine or quote rundown all
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that's considered just sacred or godly.
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How does this show itself? The commentary really focuses on
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their speech. Their words reveal this arrogant
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opposition. They declare with our tongue,
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will we prevail? Meaning.
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It shows this proud self-confidence.
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As if their words alone are enough to overcome any
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resistance, they also assert their independence from any
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higher power by saying our lips are our own.
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Implying the answer to no one for what they say.
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Precisely. And maybe the most revealing
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thing is their contempt for God's authority shown when they
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challenge who is Lord over us. That's not really a question, is
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it? No, it's rhetorical.
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It's a declaration of rebellion, a flat out refusal to
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acknowledge God's right to rule over them, to restrain them, or
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to hold them accountable for their words and actions.
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They see themselves as completely independent,
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self-sufficient. That is a stark declaration,
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rebellion, a direct challenge to God's authority and this kind of
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bold wickedness. It must have victims, right?
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Which I guess brings us to the 4th characteristics.
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Exactly right. It doesn't happen in a vacuum.
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The 4th condition making times very bad is the oppression of
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the poor and needy. The vulnerable suffer.
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Yes, the commentary stresses that God specifically takes
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notice of the oppression of the poor and the sighing of the
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needy. These are people who are
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wronged, taken advantage of, burdened, often just because
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they are vulnerable. Because they can't defend
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themselves easily. Right.
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They're poor, so they can't afford maybe legal health, or
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they don't have the influence to fight back against injustice.
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And because they're oppressed, the commentary notes, they often
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don't even dare speak up openly. Why not?
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They fear it might just make things worse for them.
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So instead their suffering often turns inward.
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They sigh secretly, the source says.
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They bemoan their situation, pour out their souls silently to
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God. That's heartbreaking because
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sighing secretly. It is.
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And what adds another layer of cruelty, according to the
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sources, is the attitude of the oppressors.
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When the plight of the poor is brought up or someone tries to
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speak for them, the oppressor is just puff at them.
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Puff. At them.
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What does that signify? It captures this heartless
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indifference, a dismissive contempt for the suffering they
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cause, and a casual disregard for their own sin.
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In doing so, it's like blowing someone off, completely
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trivializing their pain and the injustice.
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So it's exploiting vulnerability and then meeting any concern
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about it with scorn. And the final characteristic you
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mentioned seems to tie all this together, explaining how these
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conditions can become so widespread.
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Yes, the 5th indicator, and arguably it's one of the most
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troubling. It's when wickedness isn't just
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present, but it actually thrives at a bounds under the protection
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and even the positive encouragement of those in
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authority. Oh, so leadership is involved?
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Critically involved times are described as very bad when the
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vilest men are exalted to places of trust and power.
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The vilest men, strong language. Very the commentary describes
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this happening when people who are fundamentally bad or base
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the vilest of men get promoted into positions where they should
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be upholding justice and order. But they do the opposite.
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Exactly. Instead of using their power to
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enforce laws against vice, against injustice, against those
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harming others, these authorities actively patronize
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and protect the wicked. They give approval countenance
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to wicked practices, not just by looking the other way, but
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sometimes by their own example or even by explicitly supporting
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wrongdoing. And the consequence of that.
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The direct result described is that the wicked walk on every
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side. They're not hiding or confined.
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They swarm everywhere, moving freely, looking for chances to
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deceive, to corrupt, to destroy others.
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They feel safe, protected. Precisely.
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They have the backing, implicit or explicit, of those in power,
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so they aren't afraid or ashamed to show their true colors.
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They declare their sin openly, like Sodom, the commentary says.
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And the commentary has a view on these leaders.
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Yes, it states plainly, bad men are base men, the vilest of men,
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and it laments that it is bad for a Kingdom when such are
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preferred. And the overall impact on
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society. The ultimate outcome, summing up
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the effect of corrupt leaders enabling widespread wickedness,
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is stark. When the wicked bear rule, the
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people mourn. That's a very thorough and
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frankly quite a grim picture. It starts with individual
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character decay, move through corrupted relationships, open
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defiance of God oppressing the weak, and culminates in a system
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where wickedness is actually enabled by power.
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It's not just isolated bad actors, it's society becoming
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structurally problematic. It's a good way to put it.
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So to recap the sources, bad times aren't primarily about
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external disasters, but about this abounding of iniquity.
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And it shows up as a decline in genuine godliness and honesty,
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pervasive deceit making trust impossible, open arrogant
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defiance of God, oppression of the poor met with indifference,
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and critically wicked people in power protecting other wicked
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people, leading to widespread mourning.
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That covers the key markers identified.
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Now, this detailed picture of bad times from the commentary,
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it isn't just some abstract sociological analysis.
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It's presented as the very real, the deeply felt context for
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David's own cry in Psalm 12. Yes, that's crucial.
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The commentary suggests David probably wrote this Psalm during
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that very difficult time under King Saul's reign.
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A time known for its problems. Exactly.
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An era marked by that general decay of honesty and piety we
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just talked about. And importantly, the source says
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this decay was happening both in court and country.
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It wasn't just out there somewhere.
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It was right at the the center of power, too.
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Which would directly affect David.
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Absolutely. This wasn't a detached
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observation for him. His complaint in the Psalm is
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described as being voiced very feelingly.
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It was personal. Why so personal?
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Because as the source of stress he himself suffered by the
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treachery of his false friends and the insolence of his sworn
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enemies. So he experienced it first hand.
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That personal element really is vital for understanding the raw
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emotion in the Psalm, isn't it? Totally.
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David wasn't just some commentator looking at society's
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problems from afar. He was right in the thick of it.
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His own life was directly hit by these conditions.
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How so? Well, that lack of sincerity,
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the double hearts, That wasn't just a general issue for him.
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It showed up in people who seemed like friends but turned
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out to be treacherous, maybe like the Ziphytes who betrayed
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where he was hiding to Saul. People he should have been able
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to trust. Right.
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And the impeded enemies weren't abstract either.
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It was Saul himself and those loyal to Saul, relentlessly
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hunting him down, speaking proud, arrogant things against
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him, and really against God's stated plan for David.
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So his personal suffering was a direct result of living in
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exactly these kinds of bad times defined by rampant iniquity.
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His relationships were poisoned by deceit, and he faced the open
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hostility of those opposing God's will for him.
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Yes, and his response to all the the societal mess and his
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personal pain within it was that urgent cry we find in the Psalm.
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Help, Lord. And that cry help, Lord, it's
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not just a casual prayer request, is it?
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The sources presented as something more desperate.
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Much more, it comes precisely because in times like these,
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human help is basically failed or just isn't there.
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Because the good people are gone.
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As the sources note, the godly and faithful people, the ones
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who might normally stand up for righteousness, offer support or
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give wise counsel, they seem to cease or be gone.
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They're not in positions to help, or perhaps they've been
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silenced or removed. So when human support systems
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fail. Your only recourse is God.
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The very depth of the problem, the abounding of iniquity
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itself, is presented almost as the signal it's the right moment
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for God to step in. The Psalm is effectively saying
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it is time for the Lord to work. That's powerful.
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It's recognizing the situation has gotten so bad, human
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integrity and systems have broken down so much that only
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God's direct action can possibly fix it or bring relief.
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That phrase it is time for the Lord to work.
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It really carries weight. It suggests maybe a divine
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timing, a sense that God allows things to reach a certain point
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perhaps. It certainly implies that that
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God acts deliberately, not haphazardly.
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And the sources also offer another angle on the Psalms
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ongoing relevance. What's that?
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The commentary suggests David, maybe with prophetic insight,
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might have written this knowing that some kings after him would
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face similar bad times. You know, reigns marked by
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widespread wickedness. So he wasn't just writing for
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his own situation. Possibly not just for himself.
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He might have intended this Psalm for the use of the church
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then basically providing A scriptural tool for God's people
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during bad reigns or periods of national moral decline.
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So it makes the Psalms message relevant beyond just David's
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specific historical moment. Exactly.
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It becomes relevant for any time characterized by these
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conditions we've been talking about.
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It's almost calculated, the source suggests, to be a guide
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for navigating times when wickedness seems to be winning
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and integrity is hard to find it.
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Really elevates the Psalm from just a historic historical
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record to a living resource for God's people whenever those same
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signs of bad times reappear. It gives a way to understand the
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problem and, crucially, to voice both the complaint and the hope.
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So faced with this really quite grim picture, Human deceit,
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social breakdown, no obvious human solutions, where do the
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sources point for hope? Where do you turn?
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That's the key question, isn't. It and the commentary is very
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clear. Hope isn't found in trying
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harder to find trustworthy people in a corrupt world, or in
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thinking human efforts can somehow fix this deep moral
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decay by themselves. So wear them.
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The focus shifts completely. It shifts to the very nature,
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the character of God Himself, and particularly the reliability
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of His Word, God's. Character in God's Word.
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Yes, the core contrast they draw is stark, but it's meant to be
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comforting. Though men are false, God is
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faithful. Though they are not to be
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trusted, God is. That's a fundamental contrast.
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It is. While human words are full of
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vanity, lies, flattery, unreliable, deceptive,
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ultimately empty, the sources declare with total certainty the
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words of the Lord are pure words.
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That contrast feels foundational, especially when
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everything else feels like shifting sand, because you can't
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trust what people say knowing there's one completely reliable
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constant that must make a huge difference.
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And the commentary uses a memorable image for this.
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Purity doesn't. It it does a very striking one.
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This purity isn't just asserted, it's illustrated with this
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powerful analogy. God's words are like silver
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tried in a furnace of earth or a Crucible refined 7 times.
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Silver refined 7 times. What does that image tell us?
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Well, according to the commentary, it reveals several
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crucial things about God's Word. First, it speaks to its absolute
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sincerity. Sincerity.
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Like silver, purified until every impurity, all the dross is
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removed. Everything God says is exactly
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as he represents it. There's nothing hidden, nothing
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deceptive, nothing other than what it appears to be.
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The source really emphasizes that God's Word does not jest
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with us or impose upon us. No hidden agenda.
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None. It has no other design than our
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good. There's no double heart behind
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God's promises or commands. It's completely transparent,
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truthful and benevolent. OK, so completely sincere and
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aiming for our good. What else does the silver
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analogy reveal? It also speaks to its
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preciousness. Just like silver, refined to the
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absolute highest degree, has immense intrinsic value with no
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flaws to lessen its worth, God's Word possesses great inherent
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value. Value that doesn't change.
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Right. It's not diluted or cheapen or
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mixed with anything that would detract from its perfect worth.
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It's of the highest possible quality and value.
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And the process itself being tried 7 times, that must speak
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to its dependability. Absolutely.
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That repeated refining 7 times suggesting perfection or
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completeness in the testing process signifies it's proven
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reliability. The commentary points out that
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God's Word has been often tried by believers down through the
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ages. People have tested it.
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They have. They've put their confidence in
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it, they've acted on its promises, and they have
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consistently found that it never deceived them or frustrated
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their expectation. So history backs it up.
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Yes, the experience of generations of believers relying
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on God's Word acts as this powerful testimony to its
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truthfulness. The sources even use that Latin
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phrase experto credit. Which means.
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Roughly, believe the one who has tested it or trust the expert
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witness. The collective experience of
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God's people is the expert testimony confirming God's Word
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is utterly true and dependable. That historical validation, the
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witness of countless lives built on God's promises, really adds
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weight to its reliability. It's not just a theological
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claim, it's a truth confirmed by lived experience over centuries.
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So for someone living in these bad times, surrounded by lies,
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what's the main take away? The conclusion the commentary
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draws is direct and practical. The less confidence is to be put
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in men's words. Let us with the more assurance
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trust in God's Word. Simple as that.
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Lean harder on God's Word when human words fail.
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Exactly. When human promises are broken,
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when flattery hides malice, God's Word stands as the
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completely solid, unshakable anchor.
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And the sources specifically link this back to the suffering
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described in the Psalm. How so?
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They note this reliance is especially valuable regarding
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God's promises to help and relieve the poor and oppressed,
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while their human friends might fail them, offering no support
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when needed, like a broken Reed that snaps when you lean on it.
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God's words won't fail. God's words, especially his
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promises to those who are suffering, are entirely
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reliable. You can depend on them fully
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without any fear of being let down.
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That connection is so important. It takes the idea of God's
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reliable word out of the abstract and places it right
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into the experience of suffering, injustice, and
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deceit. When human supports crumble,
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God's promises offer a firm place to stand that offers real
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comfort and confidence in distressing times.
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OK, so we've talked about God's character, the purity of his
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word. But the sources go further,
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right? They show God isn't just
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passively reliable, He actually responds.
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He intervenes in these bad times.
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Yes, He's not distant or detached.
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The commentary is clear. God hears and takes notice of
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the oppression of the poor and the sighing of the needy.
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Those secret sighs we mentioned earlier?
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Those very ones, the silent groans of their hearts, the
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pouring out of their souls. God doesn't miss them.
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He recognizes them. He pays attention to them.
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Knowing that God hears is crucial, isn't it?
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It means the lament isn't just echoing into silence.
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It's a vital starting point. It shows the cry reaches the
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ears of a God who listens and cares, and this divine listening
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leads directly to divine action. Right, The source is presented
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as a direct answer to that plea. Help, Lord.
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God makes this specific, powerful promise.
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Now will I arise, saith the Lord.
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That word now feels significant. It does.
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It signals his resolve, his readiness to act decisively, and
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the commentary describes this divine help using 2 keywords,
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seasonable and effectual. OK, let's unpack those.
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What does seasonable mean here? It means God's intervention
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comes at the absolute fittest, the most appropriate time.
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The commentary highlights a couple of aspects to this
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timing. What are they?
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First, it's often when the oppressors are at the very peak
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of their pride and insolence. They seem unstoppable, arrogant,
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defying everyone, much like Pharaoh when the Israelites in
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Egypt were at their lowest point.
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So God waits until human pride is at its maximum.
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Often yes, to demonstrate his power in bringing it down.
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Second, the timing is also often when the oppressed are in the
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depths of their distress and despair, when they're sighing
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most deeply, again, like Israel in Egypt.
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When things look humanly hopeless.
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That's frequently God's chosen moment to arise and act when
22:00
there seems to be no way out, the commentary stresses.
22:03
There is a fixed time for the rescue of oppressed innocency.
22:08
That time will come, it's set by God and it's arrival is certain.
22:12
So God's timing isn't careless delay.
22:14
It's strategic. It's chosen to highlight his
22:17
power and faithfulness right when it's most needed and most
22:20
clearly seen as his work. And his help isn't just well
22:24
timed, it's also effectual. Exactly Effectual means it
22:28
actually works, it achieves its purpose, it brings real tangible
22:32
deliverance for his oppressed people.
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What does that deliverance look like?
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The commentary says he will set him in safety or in salvation.
22:39
And this means more than and just temporary protection.
22:41
It implies A comprehensive rescue, which can include
22:44
restoring them to well-being, even prosperity.
22:46
Like making things right again. Yes, source uses language from
22:50
another Psalm saying God will bring him out into a wealthy
22:52
place and the ultimate assurance given is that upon the whole he
22:56
shall lose nothing by his sufferings.
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Wow, lose nothing by his sufferings.
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It suggests God's deliverance is so complete it not only rescues
23:05
them, but ensures the suffering they went through doesn't result
23:08
in permanent loss. They are brought into safety and
23:11
even flourishing. That offers a really powerful
23:14
perspective on suffering that through God's effectual rescue,
23:17
it doesn't get the last word or mean permanent deficit for the
23:21
oppressed. And the sources also say God's
23:23
action isn't just about helping the oppressed, but also dealing
23:26
with the oppressors. Right.
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Yes, definitely. The commentary emphasizes the
23:30
absolute certainty that God will certainly reckon with false and
23:34
proud men. Reckon with them.
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While human efforts might be totally unable to expose the
23:38
lies of flatterers or humble the arrogance of those who defy God,
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asking Who was Lord over us, the righteous God won't ignore them.
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He will punish their sin and restrain their insolence.
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The commentary uses vivid language from the Psalm.
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God is able to cut off all flattering lips and pluck out
23:55
the tongue that speaks proud things.
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Those words spoken against God, his people, true religion.
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So it's an act of judgement. Yes, and this action against the
24:03
oppressors isn't just seen as payback, it's also how God
24:07
maintains his own interest, His purposes in the world, and how
24:11
He protects His people from the destructive consequences of the
24:14
wicked's plans. By silencing the deceitful and
24:16
humbling the proud, God clears the path for His people's safety
24:20
and the advance of His Kingdom. So God arising is really
24:24
comprehensive. It involves liberating and
24:27
restoring his people and judging or restraining those causing the
24:31
bad times through their wickedness.
24:32
It's a complete divine intervention into those broken
24:35
conditions. Beyond those individual acts of
24:37
rescue, the sources also offer this really profound assurance
24:41
about God's preservation of his people as a whole, collectively,
24:45
even in the worst times. Right.
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Not just rescuing individuals, but keeping his people going as
24:49
a group. Exactly.
24:50
The commentary insists that no matter how wicked the
24:52
surrounding culture or generation might be, God has
24:55
this sovereign plan to secure a chosen remnant for himself.
24:59
He doesn't just abandoned his cause or let his people be wiped
25:02
out. The idea of a remnant, that's
25:04
significant. It suggests that even when
25:07
society seems overwhelmed by faithlessness, God always keeps
25:12
a faithful group, maybe small, who belonged to him.
25:14
That's precisely the idea, and the commentary quotes the Psalms
25:18
promise that God will preserve them from this generation
25:21
forever. From this generation forever.
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What does that phrase really mean?
25:26
It seems to have a double edge. It acknowledges the ongoing
25:29
reality of a wicked generation, or at least wicked
25:31
characteristics present in every age.
25:34
But it also carries this strong promise of God's continuous
25:37
safeguard over His people who live in or among that
25:40
generation. OK, So what does this
25:42
preservation from the wicked generation look like
25:44
practically, according to the sources?
25:46
How does God preserve them? The commentary explains it
25:49
mainly in two ways. First, it means keeping them
25:52
from being corrupted by the wicked generation, or as the
25:55
source puts it, debauched by them.
25:57
So keeping them morally and spiritually safe.
25:59
Yes, God actively works to prevent his people from mingling
26:03
with the wicked in ways that would lead them to adopt their
26:06
values, their practices, their sins, drawing them away from him
26:11
in times of widespread moral decline or apostasy, the sources
26:15
state. Clearly the Lord knows those
26:18
that are His, and they shall be unable to keep their integrity.
26:21
God gives them the strength to stay faithful.
26:23
He provides the necessary grace, the strength for them to remain
26:27
faithful, to maintain their moral and spiritual integrity
26:31
even when surrounded by overwhelming unfaithfulness and
26:33
corruption. So it's a preservation that's
26:35
fundamentally spiritual and moral, guarding their character,
26:39
their relationship with God against the corrupting pool of
26:41
the world. Exactly, and the second aspect
26:43
of this preservation is keeping them from being destroyed and
26:46
rooted out by the wicked. Physical protection too.
26:48
Yes, collective security. The commentary uses the image of
26:52
the church representing God's people collectively being built
26:56
upon a rock well fortified against the gates of hell.
26:59
Meaning it can withstand attacks.
27:01
It implies this collective security.
27:03
While the wicked generation might threaten, persecute, harm,
27:06
even try to eliminate brat's people, they won't ultimately
27:10
succeed in destroying God's chosen remnant from the earth.
27:13
God's hand protects them. That offers a really deep
27:16
assurance, doesn't it? The ultimate security of God's
27:19
people, both as individuals and as a collective body.
27:22
And what's God's big picture purpose in doing this?
27:25
Why this preservation? According to the commentary,
27:27
God's purpose is twofold 1 To maintain his own interest in the
27:31
world. His presence, His truth, his
27:33
plans unfold holding. And two, to ensure that his
27:36
people themselves keep their integrity.
27:38
So it serves both God's purposes and His people's well-being.
27:42
Right. He's not just reacting, he's
27:44
sovereignly working through history to fulfill his plans and
27:47
keep a people set apart for himself.
27:49
The source gives this ultimate guarantee.
27:51
He will reserve to himself a holy seed and preserve that to
27:55
his heavenly Kingdom. A holy seed preserved all the
27:57
way. Yes, there will always be a line
27:59
of those who are genuinely His set apart for holiness, and He
28:02
will safeguard them right through to their final
28:04
inheritance in His eternal Kingdom.
28:06
So even when all the signs of bad times are glaring, when
28:10
wickedness seems dominant, there's this underlying truth.
28:13
God always has His remnant, a people He keeps safe, preserved
28:18
from the corruption of the wicked generation and from
28:20
destruction by them. That's a foundational truth that
28:23
can provide real stability when facing those challenges.
28:26
It anchors hope in God's sovereign faithfulness, not in
28:30
changing circumstances. OK, so pulling all these threads
28:33
together, the description of bad times, God's reliable word, His
28:37
intervention, His preservation, the sources then offer some
28:41
really practical comfort and guidance, things to hold onto
28:44
when you find yourself living through such times.
28:46
Yeah, they're framed as good thoughts for bad times, which is
28:48
a great way to put it. It really is when you're seeing
28:51
or experiencing that decay of honesty, the deceit, the
28:54
defiance of God, the oppression, the corrupt leadership, What do
28:59
you consciously focus on? The sources give us these points
29:01
rooted right in the Psalm and God's character.
29:04
So what's the first good thought?
29:06
The first foundational 1 is recognizing that we have a God
29:09
to go to from whom we may ask and expect the redress of all
29:12
our grievances. We can actually go to God about
29:15
these things, yes. When every other door seems
29:17
closed, when human help fails or disappears, when even the godly
29:21
seem scarce, the instruction is clear.
29:24
Cry out, help Lord. And expect him to hear.
29:27
And expect redress because, as we saw, the very abounding of
29:30
iniquity is presented as the signal for God to work.
29:33
You can approach him expecting him to intervene and set right
29:37
the wrongs. That's a bold confidence.
29:39
What's the second thought? Trusting that God will certainly
29:41
reckon with false and proud men, even though they seem
29:45
untouchable by human means, operating beyond accountability.
29:48
God sees them. He will deal with them.
29:51
His justice is certain. So they won't ultimately get
29:53
away with it. That knowledge of divine justice
29:56
offers a crucial counterbalance to the frustration you feel when
29:59
human justice fails. The third comforting thought
30:02
focuses on God's response to suffering, the assurance that
30:06
God will, in due time, work deliverance for his oppressed
30:09
people. We talked about how he hears
30:12
their size. He has promised, Now will I
30:14
arise? This intervention isn't just a
30:17
hope, it's a certainty. It will be seasonable, at the
30:20
right time and effectual. It will actually work.
30:23
Setting them in safety, maybe even bringing them to a better
30:25
place. Hope grounded in God's promised
30:27
action. And connecting back to that core
30:29
contrast, the 4th good thought is that bedrock truth.
30:33
God is faithful even though men are not.
30:36
The pure words. His words are pure, tried like
30:38
silver, proven reliable through history.
30:41
This gives a completely secure foundation for trust when human
30:45
words and promises prove worthless or deceptive.
30:48
And the fifth thought relates to the Remnant, yes.
30:50
Finally, reinforcing that theme of preservation, it's a
30:53
confidence that God will secure his chosen remnant to Himself.
30:57
Even when a wicked generation seems to dominate, God promises
31:01
to preserve His people. From corruption and destruction
31:03
both. Keeping them from the sin of
31:06
that generation and from the destruction by that generation.
31:09
You can live knowing God is sovereignly guarding His own,
31:12
maintaining their integrity, ensuring their safe passage to
31:15
His Kingdom. Those are powerful truths to
31:18
meditate on, to cling to when things look bleak societally.
31:23
They really shift your focus from the overwhelming problem to
31:26
God's steadfast character and actions.
31:29
Absolutely, and the sources also suggest how you can practically
31:32
engage with Psalm 12 itself during these times, even if it
31:36
feels unwise or unsafe to speak out publicly against the
31:39
corruption. How can you use the Psalm
31:40
privately? The commentary suggests using it
31:43
as a framework for personal reflection and prayer.
31:45
It proposes 3 things. First, bewail the general
31:48
corruption of manners. Actively lamented.
31:51
Yes, not just noticing it, but expressing sorrow before God
31:54
about the widespread wickedness and moral decay you see,
31:56
acknowledging the reality of sin before a holy God.
32:00
Second, thank God that things are not worse than they are
32:02
right now. Find things to be thankful for,
32:04
even then. It seems so.
32:06
Even in bad times, there might be signs of God's restraining
32:09
grace or specific mercies still visible.
32:12
Acknowledging these can guard against despair and bring
32:14
perspective. And 3rd, pray and hope that they
32:18
will be better in God's due time.
32:20
Actively directing hope towards God's intervention.
32:23
Exactly asking him to arise and act according to his perfect
32:27
timing to bring improvement, justice, restoration.
32:30
So lamenting, thanking and hoping and prayer, all rooted in
32:35
the hard reality but anchored in God's truth.
32:38
That seems like a practical way to find comfort and express
32:41
faith during difficult times. It really does.
32:43
It offers a pathway when the world feels overwhelming.
32:45
So reflecting on our deep dive today into this commentary on
32:48
Psalm 12, it's clear that the conditions David described, all
32:51
that deceit, pride, oppression, corrupt leadership, they aren't
32:54
just confined to his era. According to these sources,
32:57
they're the classic signs of times when iniquity abounds.
33:01
Yeah, the commentary defines bad times not primarily by external
33:05
factors like the economy or war, but really by the state of
33:07
people's hearts, the prevalence of wickedness, the breakdown of
33:10
integrity and trust. But the overwhelming message
33:13
coming through isn't despair. It's actually one of hope, but a
33:17
hope rooted somewhere beyond human failure.
33:19
Right. Our hope isn't ultimately in
33:21
finding perfectly trustworthy people, because in such times
33:25
they seem scarce, or in relying only on human efforts to fix the
33:29
deep seated corruption, those methods are often shown to be
33:33
failing. Instead, the sources point us
33:35
directly to a faithful God, a God whose word is absolutely
33:39
pure, proven, reliable over centuries.
33:41
He hears the cries of the oppressed.
33:43
He acts decisively for deliverance and judgement at
33:46
just the right moment, and he sovereignly preserves his own
33:49
people forever, guarding them from the wickedness around them
33:52
and from destruction by it. So is you, our listener, Reflect
33:56
on this deep dive. Maybe consider this thought.
33:58
How might really grasping God's active, certain preservation of
34:01
His chosen remnant change how you view and respond to the
34:05
challenges of living in times where iniquity seems to be
34:08
abounding? Does focusing on God's promise
34:10
and power, rather than just the scale of the problem shift your
34:13
perspective? It's nothing to think about.
34:15
Until our next deep dive, trust in the pure words of the Lord.