Psalm 12 — How long, O Lord, will you forget me?

^12:1^ Unto the end, a psalm for David. How long, O Lord, will you forget me unto the end? How long will you turn away your face from me?

^12:2^ How long shall I take counsel in my soul, sorrow in my heart all the day?

^12:3^ How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

^12:4^ Consider, and hear me, O Lord my God. Enlighten my eyes that I never sleep in death; ^12:5^ Lest at any time my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him.” Those who trouble me will rejoice when I am moved:

^12:6^ But I have trusted in your mercy. My heart shall rejoice in your salvation; I will sing to the Lord, who gives me good things: yea, I will sing to the name of the Lord the most high.

91. In the preceding psalm, the psalmist described the deceitfulness of his adversaries; here he begs for a remedy against them from God.

The title, unto the end, a psalm for David, was explained above.

Now this psalm is divided into three parts.

In the first is described his lament;

in the second, his request, at consider, and hear me;

and in the third the answer, at but I have trusted in your mercy.

The lament contains three things:

he wonders at the divine concealment,

he confesses his own weakness,

and he laments the power of his adversaries.

The second is at how long;

the third is at how long shall he be exalted.

He who ignores the injuries of another does this either by not remembering him or by not desiring to apply a remedy. And so he says, O Lord, I am burdened by my adversaries, and yet you do not apply a remedy? How long will you forget me unto the end? That is, it seems that you ultimately desire to shun me. And Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me” (Isa 49:14). Why do you not look upon those who do unjust things, and hold your peace when the wicked devours the man who is more just than himself? (Hab 1:13).

How long will you turn away your face from me? Someone turns his face away when he does not give a remedy. Why do you turn your face away and forget our want and our trouble? (Ps 43:24).

This applies to the history of David, who was long persecuted by Saul.

In the allegorical sense, it can be said about the fathers of the Old Testament who continued to wait for Christ, while God delayed giving the remedy as though he had forgotten them.

And they say, how long, O Lord? . . . How long will you turn away your face from me? That is, will you keep the presence of your Son from us?

Or, it could be the lamentation of the just man today about the delay of the second coming: how long, O Lord, will you forget me? For this will take place in the end, that is, on the day of judgment or at death. How long will you turn away your face from me, that is, the face of your glory, so that I may see you face to face. Show me your face (Exod 33:13). Show us your face, and we shall be saved (Ps 79:4).

Now, many reasons can be assigned as to why the ancient fathers so greatly desired the coming of Christ in the flesh.

First, for the exaltation of human nature, in whose person it is said, see, O Lord, for I have become vile (Lam 1:11), but it was exalted by the Incarnation. (Cf. ST III, q. 1, a. 1, resp.) With your glory you have received me (Ps 72:24), that is, I have become glorious, just like a baseborn woman is raised up if she marries a nobleman. This is why every sin after the coming of the Savior is more serious than it would have been before, just as it would be more disgraceful for a noblewoman or man to do something shameful than for someone uncultured to do so.

The second reason is that the captives would be delivered from the prison of hell or limbo. My bones shall go down into the deepest pit; do you think that there at least I shall have rest? (Job 17:16). As if to say, “No.” But through Christ we have been delivered from it. You also by the blood of your testament have sent forth your prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water (Zech 9:11).

Third is because of subjection to the devil. You have humbled the proud one, as one who is slain (Ps 88:11), that is, you have diminished his power.

Fourth is because we have been reconciled with God through the coming of Christ. The cornerstone (Eph 2:20) who has made both one (Eph 2:14).

Fifth is because of the delight which they hoped to have from seeing, hearing, and conversing with Christ. Blessed are the eyes which see what you see (Luke 10:23–24; cf. Matt 13:16).

People today truly desire the second coming.

First is because then we will be exalted. They shall judge nations, and rule over people (Wis 3:8). And likewise: they are numbered among the children of God (Wis 5:5).

Second is because we will be freed from every pain. The Lord shall wipe away every tear from every face (Isa 25:8), that is, the cause of tears or pain.

Third is because we will be freed from every sin. The Lord shall take away the reproach of his people from off the whole earth (Isa 25:8).

Fourth is because then we will be removed from the power of the devil. They shall not hurt, nor shall they kill in all my holy place (Isa 11:9).

Fifth is because we will be freed from servitude to the body. Bring my soul out of prison (Ps 141:8). The creature itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption (Rom 8:21).

Sixth is because we shall see God face to face. We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him, because we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2). All shall know me from the least even to the greatest (Jer 31:34).

Or it could be the lament of any just man pressed down under adversity, or the corruption of sin and concupiscence.

92. Here he confesses his own weakness, and he considers two points about it.

First, he describes his anxiety of heart;

and second, the sorrow following from it: sorrow in my heart all the day.

In regard to the first, the Philosopher says in the Rhetoric that fear makes one take counsel. (Aristotle, Rhetoric 2.5, 14, 1383a.) The same idea is found here: take counsel, gather a council (Isa 16:3). So when a man is in the midst of adversity and suffering a trial, he takes counsel about how he can resist, and so he says, how long shall I take counsel in my soul, that is, how long will I need to keep making new plans in order to resist enemies? So the fathers of the Old Testament took counsel many times, which prefigured Christ.

Now, when a man chooses one way, after planning, and nevertheless stumbles in it, then sorrow follows, and so it is said, how long shall I take, Lord, counsels . . . in my heart, that is, daily, while I continue to fail. My sorrow is above sorrow and my heart mourns within me (Jer 8:18).

93. Here he laments the prosperity of his enemy, who is exalted, namely, Saul exalted over David, and of the enemy who leads one into consenting to sin, and of the flesh, since they have their own desires. Judgment comes not to the end because the wicked prevails against the just (Hab 1:4).

94. In the second part of this psalm, a prayer or petition is made.

And first, he makes a petition regarding the divine concealment;

second, one corresponding to his own weakness, at enlighten my eyes;

and third, one regarding the prosperity of his enemies, at lest at any time my enemy say.

First, he speaks about the divine concealment by forgetfulness and turning away, as if to say, “Consider, that is, turn back, you who turned and have forgotten.” Now, hear me; see, we are your people (Isa 64:9).

Second is the petition that corresponds to his own weakness. There is one because of his many counsels and one because of his sorrows. And so, since I myself cannot make a plan, enlighten my eyes that I never sleep in death, that is, teach me. Likewise, enlighten those who sit in darkness (Luke 1:79).

In the literal sense, this fits David who, when fleeing from the face of Saul, had to often take care so as not to fall into his hands and be killed.

Similarly, however careful a man is to resist sin so that he does not fall into death, yet when he falls asleep in regard to vigilance against sin, he is killed. So, when Ish-Bosheth was sleeping, and the servant was cleansing wheat, he was killed (2 Sam 4:5). Rise up you who sleep (Eph 5:14).

Next is a petition against his adversaries: lest my enemy say.

He mentions two things:

first, his petition;

second, its reason, at those who trouble me.

Enlighten me . . . lest at any time my enemy say, exulting, “I have prevailed against him.” The devil exults when he tempts and so draws someone into sin.

Similarly: rise up, O Lord, that man not prevail (Ps 9:20), and there is a reason to be happy, since they will rejoice if I am moved, if I fall away from the state of justice and slide into sin. Go not after your lusts, but turn away from your own will. If you give your soul your desires, she will make you a joy to your enemies (Sir 18:30–31). For your own sake, incline, O God, your ear, and hear. Open your eyes, and see our desolation, and the city upon which your name is called (Dan 9:17–18).

95. Here is shown that his prayer is heard, and he describes three aspects of this.

First, he describes his hope of being heard;

second, joy that comes from being heard: my heart shall rejoice;

and third, he gives thanks: I will sing.

Therefore, he says, I have trusted in your mercy, not in the world. The mercies of the Lord are many since we are not consumed (Lam 3:22); it is not in my power since that is nothing against the devil. There is no power upon earth that can be compared with him (Job 41:24).

And he describes three things through which man is helped against the devil:

through spiritual joy,

through devout prayer,

and through good works.

He says about the first, my heart shall rejoice in your salvation, not in temporal things or vain things as sinners do. They rejoice at the sound of an organ, and they spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell (Job 21:12–13). Rejoice not, Israel, rejoice not as the nations do (Hos 9:1), but in your salvation, that is, in Christ, who came to save us. For he shall save his people (Matt 1:21).

And this joy arms a man against the devil. A joyful mind makes age flourish; a sorrowful spirit dries up the bones (Prov 17:22).

Second is the prayer or praise of God, so he adds, I will sing to the Lord, that is, I will praise him. You who fear the Lord praise him (Ps 21:24).

For the praise of God is very powerful for fighting the devil. This kind of demon is not cast out except by prayer and fasting (Matt 17:20). But I will rejoice in the Lord, and I shall joy in God my Jesus (Hab 3:18).

And this praise comes from blessings bestowed upon him, and so it follows, who gives me good things, that is, who has given good things. For every best gift and every perfect gift is from above (Jas 1:17).

And he says, good things, since there are some temporal goods which the Lord gives. He delivered to them his goods, and to one he gave five talents (Matt 15:14–15).

He also gives spiritual good things, which include the goods of grace and the virtues. There are diversities of grace (1 Cor 12:4).

These are all accomplished by one and the same Spirit, distributing to each one as he wills. If we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil? (Job 2:10).

He also gives the good things of glory. I believe I will see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living (Ps 26:13).

The Lord gives all of these good things, and so he deserves to be praised. To him who gives me wisdom, I will give glory (Sir 51:23).

Third is the good work, about which he adds, I will sing a psalm, that is, I will work. To sing a psalm involves touching the psaltery with one’s hand.

Jerome: always do something good, so the devil may find you occupied. (Jerome, Regula monachorum, 17 (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 30:362).) When an unclean spirit is gone out of a man . . . and coming back he finds it empty . . . and they enter in and dwell there. . . . So it shall be also to this wicked generation (Matt 12:43–45).

He will sing to the name of the Lord, that is, in praise of the name of the Lord, the Most High. Glory to God in the highest (Luke 2:14). So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt 5:16).