Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/spurgeon/ps12.1

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        TITLE. This Psalm is headed, "_To the Chief Musician upon
Sheminith, a Psalm of David_," which title is identical with that
of the sixth Psalm, except that Neginoth is here omitted. We have
nothing new to add, and therefore refer the reader to our remarks
on the dedication of #Ps 6|. As Sheminith signifies the eight,
the Arabic version says it is concerning the end of the world,
which shall be the eighth day, and refers it to the coming of the
Messiah: without accepting so fanciful an interpretation, we may
read this song of complaining faith in the light of His coming
who shall break in pieces the oppressor. The subject will be the
better before the mind's eye if we entitle this Psalm: "GOOD
THOUGHTS IN BAD TIMES". It is supposed to have been written while
Saul was persecuting David, and those who favoured his cause.

        DIVISION.--In the first and second verses (#1,2|) David
spreads his plaint before the Lord concerning the treachery of
his age; verses #3,4| denounce judgments upon proud traitors; in
verse #5|, Jehovah himself thunders out his wrath against
oppressors; hearing this, the Chief Musician sings sweetly of the
faithfulness of God and his care of his people, in verses #6,7|;
but closes on the old key of lament in verse #8|, as he observes
the abounding wickedness of his times. Those holy souls who dwell
in Mesech, and sojourn in the tents of Kedar, may read and sing
these sacred stanzas with hearts in full accord with their
mingled melody of lowly mourning and lofty confidence.

                           EXPOSITION.

        "_Help, Lord_." A short, but sweet, suggestive,
seasonable, and serviceable prayer; a kind of angel's sword, to
be turned every way, and to be used on all occasions. Ainsworth
says the word rendered "help," is largely used for all manner of
saving, helping, delivering, preserving, etc. Thus it seems that
the prayer is very full and instructive. The Psalmist sees the
extreme danger of his position, for a man had better be among
lions than among liars; he feels his own inability to deal with
such sons of Belial, for "he who shall touch them must be fenced
with iron;" he therefore turns himself to his all-sufficient
Helper, the Lord, whose help is never denied to his servants, and
whose aid is enough for all their needs. "_Help, Lord_," is a
very useful ejaculation which we may dart up to heaven on
occasions of emergency, whether in labour, learning, suffering,
fighting, living, or dying. As small ships can sail into harbours
which larger vessels, drawing more water, cannot enter, so our
brief cries and short petitions may trade with heaven when our
soul is wind-bound, and business-bound, as to longer exercises of
devotion, and when the stream of grace seems at too low an ebb to
float a more laborious supplication. "_For the godly man
ceaseth_;" the death, departure, or decline of godly men should
be a trumpet-call for more prayer. They say that fish smell first
at the head, and when godly men decay, the whole commonwealth
will soon go rotten. We must not, however, be rash in our
judgment on this point, for Elijah erred in counting himself the
only servant of God alive, when there were thousands whom the
Lord held in reserve. The present times always appear to be
peculiarly dangerous, because they are nearest to our anxious
gaze, and whatever evils are rife are sure to be observed, while
the faults of past ages are further off, and are more easily
overlooked. Yet we expect that in the latter days, "because
iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold," and then
we must the more thoroughly turn from man, and address ourselves
to the Churches' Lord, by whose help the gates of hell shall be
kept from prevailing against us. "_The faithful fail from among
the children of men_;" when godliness goes, faithfulness
inevitably follows; without fear of God, men have no love of
truth. Common honesty is no longer common, when common irreligion
leads to universal godlessness. David had his eyes on Doeg, and
the men of Ziph and Keilah, and perhaps remembered the murdered
priests of Nob, and the many banished ones who consorted with him
in the cave of Adullam, and wondered where the state would drift
without the anchors of its godly and faithful men. David, amid
the general misrule, did not betake himself to seditious
plottings, but to solemn petitionings; nor did he join with the
multitude to do evil, but took up the arms of prayer to withstand
their attacks upon virtue.

        "_They speak vanity every one with his neighbour_." They
utter that which is vain _to hear_, because of its frivolous,
foolish, want of worth; vain to _believe_, because it was false
and lying; vain to _trust to_, since it was deceitful and
flattering; vain to _regard_, for it lifted up the hearer,
filling him with proud conceit of himself. It is a sad thing when
it is the fashion to talk vanity. "Ca' me, and I'll ca' thee," is
the old Scotch proverb; give me a high-sounding character, and I
will give you one. Compliments and fawning congratulations are
hateful to honest men; they know that if they take they must give
them, and they scorn to do either. These accommodation-bills are
most admired by those who are bankrupt in character. Bad are the
times when every man thus cajoles and cozens his neighbour.
"_With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak_."
He who puffs up another's heart, has nothing better than wind in
his own. If a man extols me to my face, he only shows me one side
of his heart, and the other is black with contempt for me, or
foul with intent to cheat me. Flattery is the sign of the tavern
where duplicity is the host. The Chinese consider a man of two
hearts to be a very base man, and we shall be safe in reckoning
all flatterers to be such.

              EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.

        Verse 1. "_Help, Lord_." 'Twas 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, as some grave
divines are of opinion. #1Sa 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." #Ex
15:3|.--^John Trapp.

        Verse 1.--"_The faithful_." "_A faithful man_," as a
parent, a reprover, an adviser, one "without guile," "who can
find?" #Pr 20:6|. Look close. View thyself in the glass of the
word. Does thy neighbour or thy friend, find thee _faithful_ to
him? What does our daily intercourse witness? Is not the attempt
to speak what is agreeable oft made at the expense of truth? Are
not professions of regard sometimes utterly inconsistent with our
real feelings? In common life, where gross violations are
restrained, a thousand petty offences are allowed, that break
down the wall between sin and duty, and, judged by the divine
standard, are indeed guilty steps upon forbidden
ground.--^Charles Bridges, 1850.

        Verse 1.--A "_faithful_" man must be, first of all,
faithful to himself; then, he must be faithful to God; and then,
he must be faithful to others, particularly the church of God.
And this, as it regards ministers, is of peculiar
importance.--^Joseph Irons, 1840.

        Verse 1.--Even as a careful mother, seeing her child in
the way when a company of unruly horses run through the streets
in full career, presently whips up her child in her arms and
taketh him home; or as the hen, seeing the ravenous kite over her
head, clucks and gathers her chickens under her wings; even so
when God hath a purpose to bring a heavy calamity upon a land, it
hath been usual with him to call and cull out to himself, such as
are his dearly beloved. He takes his choice servants from the
evil to come. Thus was Augustine removed a little before Hippo
(wherein he dwelt) was taken; Pareus died before Heidelburg was
sacked; and Luther was taken off before Germany was overrun with
war and bloodshed.--^Ed. Dunsterville in a Sermon at the Funeral
of Sir Sim. Harcourt, 1642.

        Verse 1.--"_Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth_,"
etc.:--

        Back then, complainer, loathe thy life no more,
        Nor deem thyself upon a desert shore,
                Because the rocks the nearer prospect close.
        Yet in fallen Israel are there hearts and eyes,
        That day by day in prayer like thine arise;
                Thou knowest them not, but their Creator known,
        Go, to the world return, nor fear to cast
        Thy bread upon the waters, sure at last
                In joy to find it after many days.

^John Keble, 1792-1866.

        Verses 1,2,4.--Consider our markets, our fairs, our
private contracts and bargains, our shops, our cellars, our
weights, our measures, our promises, our protestations, our
politic tricks and villanous Machiavelism, our enhancing of the
prices of all commodities, and tell, whether the twelfth Psalm
may not as fitly be applied to our times as to the days of the
man of God; in which the feigning, and lying, and facing, and
guile, and subtlety of men provoked the psalmist to cry out,
"_Help, Lord; for there is not a godly man left: for the faithful
are failed from among the children of men: they speak deceitfully
every one with his neighbour, flattering with their lips, and
speak with a double heart, which have said, With our tongue we
will prevail; our lips are our own: who is Lord over us_?"--R.
Wolcombe. 1612.

        Verse 2.--"_They speak vanity every one with his
neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they
speak_." The feigned zeal is just like a water-man, that looks
one way and rows another way; for this man _pretends_ one thing
and _intends_ another thing; as Jehu pretended the zeal of God's
glory, but his aim was at his master's kingdom; and his zeal to
God's service was but to bring him to the sceptre of the kingdom.
So Demetrius professed great love unto Diana, but his drift was
to maintain the honour of his profession; and so we have too many
that make great show of holiness, and yet their hearts aim at
other ends; but they may be sure, though they can deceive the
world and destroy themselves, yet not God, who knoweth the
secrets of all hearts.--^Gr. Williams, 1636.

        Verse 2.--"They speak vanity."--

        Faithless is earth, and faithless are the skies!
        Justice is fled, and truth is now no more!

^Virgil's, AEneid, IV. 373.

        Verse 2.--"_With a double heart_." Man is nothing but
insincerity, falsehood, and hypocrisy, both in regard to himself
and in regard to others. He does not wish that he should be told
the truth, he shuns saying it to others; and all these moods, so
inconsistent with justice and reason, have their roots in his
heart.--Blaise Pascal.

        Verse 2.--"_With flattering lips and with a double heart
do they speak_." There is no such stuff to make a cloak of as
religion; nothing so fashionable, nothing so profitable: it is a
livery wherein a wise man may serve two masters, God and the
world, and make a gainful service by either. I serve both, and in
both myself, by prevaricating with both. Before man none serves
his God with more severe devotion: for which, among the best of
men, I work my own ends, and serve myself. In private, I serve
the world; not with so strict devotion, but with more delight;
where fulfilling of her servants' lusts, I work my end and serve
myself. The house of prayer who more frequents than I? In all
Christian duties who more forward than I? I fast with those that
fast, that I may eat with those that eat. I mourn with those that
mourn. No hand more open to the cause than mine, and in their
families none prays longer and with louder zeal. Thus when the
opinion of a holy life hath cried the goodness of my conscience
up, my trade can lack no custom, my wares can want no price, my
words can need no credit, my actions can lack no praise. If I am
covetous it is interpreted providence; if miserable, it is
counted temperance; if melancholy, it is construed godly sorrow;
if merry, it is voted spiritual joy; if I be rich, it is thought
the blessing of a godly life; if poor, supposed the fruit of
conscionable dealing; if I be well spoken of, it is the merit of
holy conversation; if ill, it is the malice of malignants. Thus I
sail with every wind, and have my end in all conditions. This
cloak in summer keeps me cool, in winter warm, and hides the
nasty bag of all my secret lusts. Under this cloak I walk in
public fairly with applause, and in private sin securely without
offence, and officiate wisely without discovery. I compass sea
and land to make a proselyte; and no sooner made, but he makes
me. At a fast I cry Geneva, and at a feast I cry Rome. If I be
poor, I counterfeit abundance to save my credit; if rich, I
dissemble poverty to save charges. I most frequent schismatical
lectures, which I find most profitable; from thence learning to
divulge and maintain new doctrines; they maintain me in suppers
thrice a week. I use the help of a lie sometimes, as a new
stratagem to uphold the gospel; and I colour oppression with
God's judgments executed upon the wicked. Charity I hold an
extraordinary duty, therefore not ordinarily to be performed.
What I openly reprove abroad, for my own profit, that I secretly
act at home, for my own pleasure. But stay, I see a handwriting
in my heart which damps my soul. It is charactered in these said
words, "Woe be to you, hypocrites." #Mt 23:13|.--^Francis
Quarles' "Hypocrite's Soliloquy."

        Verse 2.--"_With flattering lips_," etc. The world indeed
says that society could not exist if there were perfect
truthfulness and candour between man and man; and that the
world's propriety would be as much disturbed if every man said
what he pleased, as it was in those days of Israelitish history,
when every man did that which was right in his own eyes. The
world is assuredly the best judge of its own condition and mode
of government, and therefore I will not say what a libel does
such a remark contain, but oh, what a picture does it present of
the social edifice, that its walls can be cemented and kept
together only by flattery and falsehood.--^Barton Bouchier.

        Verse 2.--"_Flattering lips_!" The philosopher Bion being
asked what animal he thought the most hurtful, replied, "That of
wild creatures a tyrant, and of tame ones a flatterer." The
flatterer is the most dangerous enemy we can have. Raleigh,
himself a courtier, and therefore initiated into the whole art of
flattery, who discovered in his own career and fate its dangerous
and deceptive power, its deep artifice and deeper falsehood,
says, "A flatterer is said to be a beast that biteth smiling. But
it is hard to know them from friends--they are so obsequious and
full of protestations; for, as a wolf resembles a dog, so doth a
flatterer a friend."--^The Book of Symbols, 1844.

        Verse 2.--"_They speak with a double heart_." The
original is, "A heart and a heart_:" one for the church, another
for the change; one for Sundays, another for working-days; one
for the king, another for the pope. A man without a heart is a
wonder, but a man with two hearts is a monster. It is said of
Judas "There were many hearts in one man;" and we read of the
saints, "There was one heart in many men." #Ac 4:32|. _Dabo illis
cor unum_; a special blessing.--^Thomas Adams.

        Verse 2.--When men cease to be faithful to their God, he
who expects to find them so to each other will be much
disappointed. The primitive sincerity will accompany the
primitive piety in her flight from the earth; and then interest
will succeed conscience in the regulation of human conduct, till
one man cannot trust another farther than he holds him by that
tie. Hence, by the way, it is, that though many are infidels
themselves, yet few choose to have their families and dependants
such; as judging, and rightly judging, that true Christians are
the only persons to be depended on for the exact discharge of
social duties.--^George Horne.

                       HINTS TO PREACHERS.

        Verse 1.--"_Help, Lord_." I. The Prayer itself, short,
suggestive, seasonable, rightly directed, vehement. II. Occasions
for its use. III. Modes of its answer. IV. Reasons for expecting
gracious reply.

        First two clauses.--Text for funeral of an eminent
believer.

        Whole verse.--I. _The fact bewailed_--describe godly and
faithful, and show how they fail. II. _The feeling excited_.
Mourning the loss, fears for church, personal need of such
companions, appeal to God. III. _The forebodings aroused_.
Failure of the cause, judgments impending, etc. IV. _The faith
remaining_: "Help, Lord."

        Verse 1.--Intimate connection between yielding honour to
God and honesty to man, since they decline together.

        verse 2 (first clause).--A discourse upon the prevalence
and perniciousness of vain talk.

        The whole verse.--Connection between flattery and
treachery.

        "_A double heart_." Right and wrong kinds of _hearts_,
and the disease of duplicity.