1 To the choirmaster. Upon the sheminith. A psalm of David. Save, LORD, for the loyal man is finished; for the faithful have vanished from among the sons of man.
Eusebius of Caesarea · AD 339 There is no righteous one left anywhere, he said, who can become the author of my deliverance. Truly I lack a Savior, and since there is none, you yourself, Lord, be my Savior.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 Since he was observing that this world burdens souls, he asks the Lord to be saved. He knew that genuine medicine can only be found with God.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 In the preceding decade the Psalmist treated of the persecution that he himself suffered from his son Absalom, through which was prefigured the persecution that Christ would suffer from Judas.
The Godly Are No More 2 They speak emptiness, each with his neighbor; with a smooth lip, with a heart and a heart they speak.
Evagrius Ponticus · AD 399 First the righteous fail, then the truth is diminished. Not only is there no truth among the righteous, there is no holiness among honest people. Now, since the righteous have failed, truth is diminished. Perhaps the poverty of righteous people is the reason why so many heresies have shot up.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 Regard for truth is in danger of being snuffed out, with everyone, you might say, suffering from distrust in one another.… They pretend friendship and perform the actions of enemies.… Some use their lips to direct falsehood into their neighbor's heart; others return the compliment.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Then when he says, "vain things," he sets forth the sign of the failure of holiness; and it is twofold, namely vanity and deceitfulness. The first sign of failure is vanity; and with regard to this he says, "they have spoken vain things," etc. That is vain which has no substance. True things, therefore, under which no vanity lies, are firm. Hence 1 Tim.
3 May the LORD cut off all smooth lips, the tongue that speaks great things —
Clement of Rome · AD 99 Let us cleave, therefore, to those who cultivate peace with godliness, and not to those who hypocritically profess to desire it.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "May the Lord destroy all deceitful lips" [Psalm 12:3]. He says "all," that no one may suppose himself excepted: as the Apostle says, "Upon every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first, and of the Greek." [Romans 2:9] "The tongue speaking great things:" the proud tongue.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "May the Lord destroy." Here he asks for their destruction. And first he asks for it; second, he suggests the cause, at "all deceitful lips," etc. -- as though he would destroy them twice, namely in soul and body. Jer.
4 those who have said, “By our tongue we will prevail; our lips are with us — who is lord over us?”
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "Our lips are our own; who is our master?" These are words of insane and deranged people. For this very reason Paul says the opposite to them in the words, "You are not your own; you were bought at a price," and bids them not to live for themselves. Your lips are not yours, he is saying, but the Lord's.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Who have said, We will magnify our tongue, our lips are our own, who is Lord over us?" [Psalm 12:4]. Proud hypocrites are meant, putting confidence in their speech to deceive men, and not submitting themselves to God.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 With mouths agape they heedlessly utter whatever occurs to them, scornful of divine long-suffering and giving no thought to their falling under the lordship of God.
5 “From the ruin of the afflicted, from the groaning of the needy, now I will rise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in the safety he pants for.”
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Because of the wretchedness of the needy and the sighing of the poor, now I will arise, saith the Lord" [Psalm 12:5]. For so the Lord Himself in the Gospel pitied His people, because they had no ruler, when they could well obey.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 "I will arise" is a metaphor to indicate that the one who is not familiar with the human need to lie down out of weakness does in fact rise up. But he says I will arise, I will appear and be manifest in the Son. For the strength and majesty of the Father and of the Son are one and undivided.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "Because of." Here, third, he sets forth the hearing of the prayer. And first he sets it forth; second, he establishes its certainty, at "the words of the Lord"; third, he sets forth his own belief, at "you, O Lord." He says therefore, "because of the misery," that is, the manifold need, "of the needy," that is, of those lacking resources, "and the groaning," that is, the sighs…
6 The sayings of the LORD are pure sayings, silver refined in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 Although they may be beautiful, the words of those who stand apart from Christ are not pure but interspersed with innumerable lies; the words of the Lord alone are pure, in which there is no lie mixed, and they are true as silver purged and proven in the furnace. When anything is declared with them, it is never to be rejected in doubt.
Diodorus of Tarsus · AD 390 Since he said that the Lord's sayings are pure and unmixed with falsehood, he goes on to say that as silver brought into contact with fire is found to be purified of every defilement, so also such commands of God emerge sincere and unaffected by falsehood. The phrase "seven times" means repeatedly, his meaning being that it is exceedingly pure and untainted with falsehood.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Then he sets forth the certainty of the promise: "the words of the Lord are pure words" -- not adulterated by admixture of anything foreign; or purified of superfluity; or incorrupt, because one is called chaste before experience, but continent after. Not vain, but firm. Mt.
7 You, LORD, will keep them; you will guard him from this generation forever.
Diodorus of Tarsus · AD 390 Even if the godless and demons and agitators surround us, even if they besiege us and cut us off, you will render us superior with your help.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 Guarded by your grace we shall not only escape the wiles of the present generation but shall also be provided with everlasting salvation.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And the prophet responds: "You therefore, O Lord, will keep us from evil." "And you will guard us in good, from this generation forever."
8 On every side the wicked walk about, when vileness is exalted among the sons of man.
Diodorus of Tarsus · AD 390 When you care for us, even if we are abandoned among those guilty of hostility and scheming, we emerge superior on account of the care of the Most High.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 "The wicked walk in a circle" so that they are never able to arrive at the right path, since crooked paths are always associated with bad character.… For this reason, they are not able to attain the rest of the eighth day, for they are always turning backward like wheels.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "Therefore the wicked walk round about," so that they never reach the end of the journey they intend, namely to afflict others as they wish. Is. 59: "Their paths are crooked." And why?