Questions From Readers
You think the words “You will guard them,” that in Psalm 12:7, talking about the “the afflicted” in verse 5 or to “the sayings of Jehovah” in verse 6?
The other verses in this chapter show that this verse talking about people.
In Psalm 12:1-4 say, that the “faithful people have vanished from among men.” Then in Psalm 12:5-7, he say:
“‘Because the afflicted are oppressed,
Because of the sighing of the poor,
I will rise up to act,’ says Jehovah.
‘I will save them from those who treat them with contempt.’
The sayings of Jehovah are pure;
They are like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times.
You will guard them, O Jehovah;
You will protect each one of them from this generation forever.”
Verse 5 talking about what God will do for people who suffering: He will save them.
Then verse 6 say: “the sayings of Jehovah are pure,” ‘like refined silver.’ This verse show how we feel about the Bible.—Ps. 18:30; 119:140.
Now let talk about the next verse, Psalm 12:7: “You will guard them, O Jehovah; you will protect each one of them from this generation forever.” What the “them” in this verse referring to?
Because verse 7 come right after verse 6 that say, “the sayings of Jehovah,” maybe some people will be thinking it mean that God ‘guarding’ his sayings. And we know that God been guarding the Bible even though people being trying hard to ban it and destroy it.—Isa. 40:8; 1 Pet. 1:25.
But the thing verse 5 say it also true. Jehovah na help and he will continue to help and save “the afflicted” and the “oppressed.”—Job 36:15; Ps. 6:4; 31:1, 2; 54:7; 145:20.
So, wetin the “them” in verse 7 referring to?
When we look at this psalm good-good, it can even get more clear that the “them” referring to people.
In Psalm 12:1,2 David say that people was not loyal and honest. Because of that, it make he and other “faithful people” to suffer bad way. Then the next verse talk about how Jehovah will take action against those who can talk bad-bad things. This psalm convince us that we can trust God to save his people because everything he say that true.
So when verse 7 say that Jehovah will guard and protect “them,” it talking about those who suffering because of wicked people.
They use the word “them” in one old copy of the Hebrew Scripture they call the Masoretic text. The Greek Septuagint use “us” two times in verse 7. So it referring to faithful people who suffering. Finally, verse 7 say that “each one of” the faithful will be protected “from this generation,” from men who promote depravity. (Ps. 12:7, 8) And in one translation of the Hebrew Scripture in the Aramaic Language Verse 7 say: “You, O LORD, will protect the righteous, you will guard them from this evil generation for ever. On every side the wicked go about, like a leech that drains the blood of the sons of men.” This one give more proof that Psalm 12:7 not talking about God sayings.
So, this verse give hope to “faithful people” that God will take action.
