Gospel Reflections #952: Yet, if we seek God

Psalm 12:1–2 ‘O Lord, save us! For those who fear God have vanished; the faithful have disappeared from among the children of men. Everyone speaks lies to their neighbour; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.’

This passage begins with a prayer for God’s help amidst a lamentable situation where sincerity has been lost from society and falsehood in speech is rampant.

Looking around, the author feels a sense of despair, as if ‘compassionate people’ who fear God and ‘faithful people’ who keep their promises have become extinct.

This is a cry lamenting the moral and spiritual decline of society.

‘False speech’ is cited as a sign of society’s collapse.

‘Flattering lips’ refer to skillful use of language designed to manipulate or ingratiate oneself with others.

‘Double-mindedness’ describes a state where outward words differ from one’s true intentions, revealing a duplicitous nature.

The passage depicts a society where trust cannot be established.

Amidst a sense of isolation, where trust between people has crumbled and one no longer knows whom to believe, the author calls out ‘O Lord’ as their sole hope, seeking God’s intervention.

This serves as an introduction that contrasts ‘the futility of human words’ with ‘God’s pure words’ that follow.

It emphasises the faith that, even in a world dominated by lies and flattery, only God’s words are worthy of trust. 

We tend to react directly to what we see, hear, touch and feel, but when we encounter a wall that seems insurmountable, we cry out to God.

In a sense, unless we reach that point, we do not truly seek God.

Yet, if we seek God, even if our faith is as small as a mustard seed, God is faithful and sincere in His response.

For Jesus is our irreplaceable friend, our guide, and our perfecter.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.