Exploring Psalm 12 and Its Eschatological Significance

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Psalm 12-18
January 26th 2025

Okay, onward Christian soldiers as we come to Psalms 12. By the way, if you are able tune in next week to our coverage of Psalm 18 – very strong teaching – all glory to YAHAVAH.

So, PSALM 12 opens with

The inscription to this Psalm is: To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. But super interestingly, the Arabic reads, "Concerning the end (of the world which shall happen) on the eighth day. A prophecy relative to the Advent of the Messiah." Brother Grady is able to explain the import of this eighth day deadline in terms of eschatologyStudy of “last things”—TGNN teaches all biblical eschatology was fulfilled in 70 A.D. More so get ready for a series he has been grinding on that will be available soon on the Cult.love part of our sites.

The Material History of God’s Reconciliation

Let me just say that that if we were going to describe the Bible as a whole I would say this: It is a material history of how God reconciled the world to Himself. Broken down we might say

• God created man
• Man rebelled
• God created a Nation
• The Nation Rebelled
• God made His Son who did not rebel and reconciled the world to Himself.
• Then God rescued those who believed on His Son and destroyed that Nations’ “world” entirely, bringing humanity under a new heaven, over a new earth with a New Jerusalem serving as the Capital of His Kingdom above forever more.
• From this record we learn spiritual principles and are all now in direct relationship with God individually.

For whatever this reminder is worth.

Context of Psalm 12

By the way some think that this Psalm was written when Doeg and the Ziphites betrayed David to Saul (as described in 1st Samuel 22:9; 23:19 and beyond) but I would suggest it was most likely written during the Babylonian captivity and I think that the content will prove this. Now listen to the way the Psalmist prophetically describes the end of that world and the heart of the people at that time.

Psalm 12:1 Help, YAHAVAH; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

How bad was the time that David is prophetically speaking about?

Yeshua Himself said,

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulationA real historical event fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not a future apocalyptic crisis. More, such as was not since the beginning of the world (kosmos) to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Their direction was to believe on and receive Him as their promised Messiah and if they didn’t Yeshua again said,

Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

Self-Centeredness of the People

The people’s heart condition toward self, where their blood ran cold for others was so bad that Yeshua also said,

Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

So, to even save a few, God had to speed up the time of the Day because apparently if He didn’t Yeshua even questioned if there would be anyone who would have faith upon His return.

This indicates that the Bride was relatively small in number. Revelation uses 144000 (or 12000 from every tribe potentially) but I think that number was representative and the Bride was far less in number helping support the reason few (if any) would realized that the elect were even missing.

We had someone call in our show and ask about why was it so tough on the Bride of that age especially compared to the ease with which believers have it today in the age of fulfillment. It’s an interesting question but difficulty and ease are super relative terms. I suggest that all ages/epochs have

Understanding God's Presence in Human History

All experienced different forms of suffering and different forms of support from YAHAVAH. For instance, we start with Adam and Eve who had it all and only had four real commands on them:

• Have dominion and subdue the earth
• Take care of the Garden
• Multiply and replenish the earth, and
• Don’t eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

And God was with them directly along the way. This is a picture of God and His expectations of Man from the start, which was pretty remarkable, advantageous and represented His good intentions. We know that fell apart and Adam is removed from that scene. Then God was with men, talking with them directly still and most of the world only followed in after Adam except for a few like Enoch, Noah and Abraham and God brought down some real heat on their worlds by dispersing them at Babel, wiping the human population via a flood and brought down fire at Sodom and Gomorrah.

Trials and Support Through the Ages

Having established the Nation, they were placed under enormous regimentations through the Law but had God promising to protect and preserve them and the blessing of having Him literally doing amazing miracles and making Himself known. They had real demands and struggles but were fortified by His literally feeding them, clothing them, and guiding them. But they live in the fear of His wrath.

Then we come to the incarnation. Yes, the expectations on the Bride were high as Paul says that they had to be pure, holy, without spot, unblemished. Sounds pretty difficult in the face of the Jewish nation, the Roman rule, the Gnostic influences and pagan practices trying and tempting them, right? I mean they had to hide and flee in many cases from open scrutiny after publicly showing their allegiance to Christ.

Witnesses and Transition

That said, they had living eye-witnesses around them of Yeshua’s resurrection, they had living Apostles more than empowered by the Spirit to teach, direct, discipline and also perform miracles of all sorts – so we have, again, in their case, trials and support. Then we have the overturn of that former age in all of its forms at Yeshua’s return and then we enter into the present age. Just like the Apostolic church experienced an ebb and flow of Good News and trials from the former economy under the Law, so was there a transition period between the wrapping up of the former age and the complete implementation of the Present.

In that period (post His return) Christians were still being persecuted and even put to deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. in some really horrific ways but it seems to me that the presence of the Holy Spirit within them (that is the key) allowed them to persevere beyond belief even though people were being burned at the state for their faith all the way out until the last person to suffer such a death in Europe was a guy names Cayetano Ripoll, who was burned to death in the Spanish Inquisition in 1826 (because he was a Deist). That was just 200 years ago folks.

Modern Reflections on Faith

Here is where I make some conjecture as I believe that as the world has increased in advances on standards of living through innumerable ways – can’t prove this but believe it – so I see our plight as equal in suffering but in a very different way. In my mind, God is more distant. Yes, His spirit is calling to all, but the tendency to hear, and believe and really submit to Him wanes as the world of ease, entertainments, health and vitality serves to keep us distracted, ambivalent, and maybe even feeling like, “God? Why?”

We can cure many of our own diseases in many ways that were previously untreatable. We have other systems and isms and ists to deal with material difficulties, and if we add all the other distractions and diversions that the historical world has NEVER seen, I tend to think that God is like – “I’ve taken care of everything for you that stood in your way of relating to me and so becoming and being my son or daughter from the heart is far more on each person’s heart to recognize me.

Cessationism and Modern Miracles

At the controls than ever. I am a cessassionist, however, in terms of miracles that perfectly mirror what God, His Son and the Apostles did in the Biblical age. It’s not that He doesn’t act in these ways at times today, but I just don’t see them as a huge part of how believers live and relate to Him today. The fact of the matter is, I think it’s much harder to be a genuine disciple today than it was anciently – far harder – if we take all of these factors into account.

So, the writer continues describing the situation before God drops His wrath on the former age economy and says,

2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
3 YAHAVAH shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is YAHAVAH over us?

Humanity's Ancient and Modern Attitudes

I mean, this was the attitude in man described all the way back then and it has not gotten any better today, has it?

5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the YAHAVAH; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

I am amazed at the focus present here – something in our age we often associate with liberalism and leftist socialistic attitudes. And they very well are acted out in the wrong ways through such. But the loss of a heart for the poor, and the sighing of the needy is what moved YAHAVAH to step in and save them and it seems that in the bifurcated world we live in the other extreme is more in line with this description of what bothered God the most. I mean truly in many ways, the love of man has grown cold. I know this because I was once on that side of the fence.

The writer goes on and says at verse 6

6 The words of the YAHAVAH are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O YAHAVAH, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Interpretations of Psalm 12

And then we come to the last verse which is a really poignant statement as it says,

8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

The RSV translates it this way –

Psalm 12:8 (RSV) On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

What is fascinating is that the Septuagint translates this passage like this –

Psalm 12:8 "The ungodly walk around: according to thy greatness thou has greatly exalted the sons of men".

Both true – both very different translations. I suppose we could interpret verse 8 according to our own mindsets, can’t we? Do we see the glass half empty? That would be the Hebrew translation – negative, dower, even fearful. Or do we see the glass half full, which would be the Greek, meaning while the ungodly are everywhere, God in His greatness has greatly exalted the Sons of Men.

Can’t say which it is. But it serves as a fantastic example of how the scripture is NOT our rock – He is.

PSALM 13

Interestingly, the Septuagint has this Psalm as Psalm 14 and Psalm 14 as this one. This Psalm is supposed to have been written during the captivity as it contains the prayers and supplications of the distressed Israelites, worn out with their long and oppressive bondage. If this is so, we might add that the Nation was held captive in Babylon somewhere in the range of on for 48 to 70 years depending on the source and the start-date of the captivity. 

The captivity ended, however, when the Persian King Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem in 538 BCE. 

Just quickly –

• The captivity may have started in 586 BCE, when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, or in 597 BCE, when Jeconiah was exiled. 
• But we are pretty sure that the captivity ended in 538 BCE, when Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem. 
• That said, Jeremiah 29:10 prophesied that the captivity would last 70 years.

Religious Practices During Captivity

• The Jews observed religious holidays and the Sabbath.
• They practiced circumcision.
• They substituted prayers for ritual sacrifices in the Temple.
• The Nation faced cultural pressures, but they maintained their religious identity and national spirit.
• They came out having learned not to pursue the idols of other nations but unified under the name, Judah and his land and from that time forward became more and more alienated from the heart of God by their RELIGIOUS practices rather than what He sought from the heart.

That said, the Psalm is actually attributed to David who died 400 years or so before the captivity and admittedly, it appears to reflect his humble heart before YAHAVAH. Let’s read it – it's short.

Psalm 13

Psalm 13:1 <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> How long wilt thou forget me, O YAHAVAH? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and hear me, O YAHAVAH my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
6 I will sing unto the YAHAVAH, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

I personally find this Psalm really beautiful and directly applicable to anyone in relationship with God.

Observations on Psalm 14

Again, because of the construction of the Psalm and content, it seems to speak of the Babylonian captivity. The author, whoever he was, (some say Haggai, others Daniel) probably lived what is described as “beyond the Euphrates.” Here we read his description, in vivid splashes of color, about the iniquity of the Chaldeans. He predicts their terror and destruction; he consoles himself with the prospect of a speedy return from his exile, and hopes soon to witness the reunion of the tribes of Israel and Judah. Some apply the Psalm to unbelievers in general. Up to you.

In the Bible, the Chaldeans were a Semitic-speaking tribe who lived in southern Babylon, which is now part of Iraq. They were a tribe that migrated to Mesopotamia between 940 and 855 B.C.E. They were known for their astrology, witchcraft, and magical art and were seen as wise men and astrologers during the time of Jewish captivity in Babylon. They were also skilled in math and writing. Biblically speaking, the Chaldeans, like the Roman Empire much later, served as God's instrument of judgment against disobedient Israel. We remember that in the book of Job it was the Chaldeans who raided his property, killed his servants, and stole his livestock. During the exile, the Chaldeans were advisors to King Nebuchadnezzar and also Nebuchadnezzar II who was the greatest Chaldean king who captured Jerusalem. Their empire eventually gave way to the Persian Empire in the 6th century B.C.E.

So, let’s read,

Psalm 14:1 <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> (which I think is a mistake) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The line about a fool says in his heart there is no God is repeated in Psalm 53 (which was written by David) so the writer of this Psalm was either inspired by the Spirit to repeat what David said or was inspired to use the words he penned.

Interpretation of Psalm 14:1-3

Now, let’s take verses 1-3 and read them in order to discuss the idea they present. It says,

The fool hath said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
2 YAHAVAH looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

These verses have been used by modern believers to support the Calvinist idea.

Examination of Human Goodness and Accountability

that we are all spiritually dead and lacking any ability to choose God or to do good without God He must therefore elect us. Contextually, this speaks of those fools who say, “there is no God” as they are the corrupt ones, they were the audience who did abominable works and they were the one to whom David or whomever the writer was said, there is “none that doeth good.” Even when it says that YAHAVAH looked down upon the children of men, it speaks to that day and time and I do not believe we are at liberty to apply this now. Then the Psalmist asks,

4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon YAHAVAH.
5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.
6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the YAHAVAH is his refuge.
7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when YAHAVAH bringeth back the captivity of his people,

Proving the timestamp on this Is not from David unless he was speaking prophetically, and then we conclude 14 with “Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.”

Insights from Psalms

Palm 15 is so general its hard to pinpoint the author though it says, the Psalm of David. Five short verses

PSALM 15

Psalm 15:1 <> YAHAVAH, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that back-bites not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoreth them that fear YAHAVAH. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Short and sweet but it interestingly speaks against usury and taking reward against the innocent which suggests to me the evil of capitalizing on the circumstances of the poor and unawares.

PSALM 16

In Hebrew, this Psalm is called, An engraving of David; in the Chaldee, a “straight sculpture of David," and the Septuagint reads, "The inscription on a pillar to David;" as if the Psalm had been inscribed on a pillar, to keep it in remembrance. There is some reference to gold, and so it is believed the said engraving or stamp was in that substance or at least coated in it and some then refer to it as the golden Psalm.

Prophetic Understandings

That David was the author there can be no doubt in fact Peter ascribes it to him in Act 2:25-31. That said, Peter takes Davids words and applies them to Christ, so we see that there might be an application to both people, but some scholars maintain this Psalm is entirely prophetic of the Messiah. I tend to see David speaking of himself and prophetically of YAHAVAH. Let’s read –

Psalm 16:1 <> Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
2 O my soul, thou hast said unto YAHAVAH, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

Note that in Psalm 15 there is a sentiment that there “is none that does good” but right here we read that in the earth there are “Saints” and that “to the excellent is all his delight.” Also note that Job was described in the first verse in the following way –

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

I think we need to be really careful in the assignment of absolute total depravity in man and to balance the view with all human beings certainly in need of redemption and forgiveness but that some choose well and try and follow God – from Enoch to Noah to Abraham to Job – and even David, setting that ugliness of Calvinism on its ear. Verse 4

4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
5 YAHAVAH is the portion of mine inheritance and of my

Assurance and Hope in Scriptures

6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. 7 I will bless YAHAVAH, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. 8 I have set YAHAVAH always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

This is a phrase used in parts of scripture as a description of Him being on the right of our person which I think David assigned to himself.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

References to David in Acts

It was these verses that Peter used on Pentecost when he said in Acts 2 starting at verse 11 when He spoke to that audience then, saying

Act 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw YAHAVAH always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, YAHAVAH said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Yeshua, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Psalm 17 Context and Analysis

Last Chapter 17

PSALM 17

The title is, A prayer of David making him most likely the author. It appears to have been written about the time in which Saul had carried out his most fervent persecution against him as described in 1st Samual 27:1. The Arabic calls it "A prayer of a perfect man, of Christ himself, or of any one redeemed by him." One author, one Dr. Delaney, not my daughter, suggests in his life about David, that this poem was written just after David’s sad departure from Jonathan, Saul's son, when David went into exile. That relationship was beautiful and intimate – so much so that some suggest that they were homosexuals. I can say this because I don’t care either way. David had enough problems with his flesh I refuse to get upset that this might have been one of them.

Psalm 17:1 <> Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. 2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. 3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

The Value of David's Admissions

I wish I could impart to seeking souls the value of David's admissions here – even today, that by the Word of His lips we keep ourselves from the paths of the things that will destroy us. It is His words, written on our hearts, read from scripture, seen in His Word made flesh, that we are all taught the ways and means of spiritual survival.

There is more to this, I suggest, than just reading the

Trust and Acquiescence

Bible – though doing this is a huge step in the right direction. I say this because I have seen men and women who read and read the Bible voraciously, who embraced its tenets and could cite it back and forward, whose own will has allowed themselves to literally walk in the paths of destruction and to turn from all they once knew. This fact fascinates me – and in the face of it it seems that there must be a constant acquiescence of our will to Him through humility before the Spirit while reading.

David goes on at verse 5 and says,

5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

The Importance of Trust

Maybe that is the key – we have to be willing to put our trust in what we read about Him as the reading alone is not a guarantee. Verse 8 gives us the origin of a once popular saying as David writes,

8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
10 They are inclosed in their own fat (hey, man!) with their mouth they speak proudly.
11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, O YAHAVAH, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:
14 From men which are thy hand, O YAHAVAH, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Hope in Righteousness

A trust David had that he would rise bearing the likeness of Christ, of God, of light. Is this not our hope as well?

We will stop here.

Remember, next week, take a dare and invite anyone to tune in. In so doing it will either encourage people or it will make them think you are nuts to listen to my teachings.

Comments/Questions.

Prayer – KATHY MAGGIE, our families, our loved ones, our enemies, this world.