You will keep them, Yahweh. You will preserve them from this generation forever.
Parallel Translations
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You will keep them, Yahweh. You will preserve them from this generation forever.
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Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
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(12-8) Thou wilt keep them, O LORD; Thou wilt preserve us from this generation for ever.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to Psalms 12:7 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Samuel 2:9 He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness; for no man will prevail by strength.
- Psalms 121:8 Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
- Psalms 37:40 Yahweh helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.
- Psalms 145:20 Yahweh preserves all those who love him, but he will destroy all the wicked.
- 1 Peter 1:5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words.
- Psalms 10:18 to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.
- Psalms 16:1 Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you.
- Psalms 37:28 For Yahweh loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
- Isaiah 27:3 I, Yahweh, am its keeper. I will water it every moment. Lest anyone damage it, I will keep it night and day.
- Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
- Jude 1:1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 7. Thou, O Jehovah. Some think that the language…
7. Thou, O Jehovah. Some think that the language of the Psalmist here is that of renewed prayer; and they, therefore, understand the words as expressive of his desire, and translate them in the optative mood, thus, Do thou, O Jehovah, keep them “Que tu les gardes, Seigneur.” — Fr.
This is the view adopted by Hammond. He refers the them to the words of the Lord mentioned in the preceding verse, and the him following to the godly, or just man, and explains the verse thus: ”Thou, O Lord, shalt keep, or perform, those words, thou shalt preserve the just man from this generation for ever.” The Chaldee version reads, “Thou wilt keep the just;” the Septuagint, Vulgate, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, “Thou wilt keep us;”
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“Mais quant a ceux qui elisent, Tu les garderas, as avoir Tes paroles; l’exposition ne me semble pas propre.” — Fr.
“Car il dit premierement, Tu les garderas; et puis, Tu le preserveras.” — Fr.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain That is, thine though he were but one man.
That is, thine though he were but one man.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou…
Psa 12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
Ver. 7. Thou shall keep them] That is, Verba praedicta, the forementioned words or promises, saith Aben Ezra. Or, keep thou them (prayerwise), and so David puts God’s promises in suit. A certain good man having all taken from him, and his wife desiring to know how he and his family should live? He answered, he would now put his bond in suit; that is, he would urge God with his promises.
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Thou shall preserve them] Heb. him, that is, every one of them, viz. the poor and needy, among whom David reckons himself, which shows his humility.
From this generation] So they are called for their multitude, in opposition to those few faithful ones, Psa 12:1. An evil and adulterous generation they were, a bastardly brood, as Mat 12:39. Omne tempus ferct Clodios, Catones non omne feret, saith Seneca.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Thou shalt keep them; either,
Thou shalt keep them; either,
1. The poor and needy, Psa 12:5, from the crafts and malice of this crooked and perverse generation of men, and for ever. Or,
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2. Thy words or promises last mentioned, Psa 12:6. These thou wilt observe and keep (as these two verbs commonly signify) both now, and
from this generation for ever, i.e. Thou wilt not only keep thy promise to me in preserving me, and advancing me to the throne, but also to my posterity from generation to generation.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Thou shall keep them, O Lord,.... Not the words…
Thou shall keep them, O Lord,.... Not the words before mentioned, as Aben Ezra explains it, for the affix is masculine and not feminine; not but God has wonderfully kept and preserved the sacred writings; and he keeps every word of promise which he has made; and the doctrines of the Gospel will always continue from one generation to another; but the sense is, that God will keep the poor and needy, and such as he sets in safety, as Kimchi rightly observes: they are not their own keepers, but God is the keeper of them; he keeps them by his power, and in his Son, in whose hands they are, and who is able to keep them from falling; they are kept by him from a total and final falling away; from the dominion and damning power of sin, and from being devoured by Satan, and from the evil of the world: and this the psalmist had good reason to believe, because of the love of God to them, his covenant with them, and the promises of safety and salvation he has made unto them;
thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever; or "thou shalt preserve him" (p); that is, everyone of the poor and needy, from the wicked generation of men in which they live, from being corrupted or intimidated by them; and who are described in the beginning of the psalm. Some take these words to be a prayer, "keep thou them, O Lord, and preserve them", &c. (q); and so the following words may be thought to be a reason or argument enforcing the request.
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(p) "custodies eum", Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth. (q) "Custodi eum", Tigurine version, Vatablus, "custodito eorum quemque", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Thou shalt keep them - Thy words or promises:…
Thou shalt keep them - Thy words or promises: these thou wilt observe and keep, both now, and from this generation forever. 8. Walk - They fill all places, and go about boldly and securely.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 7. Thou shalt keep them - thou shalt…
Verse 7. Thou shalt keep them - thou shalt preserve them] Instead of the pronoun them in these clauses, several MSS., with the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Arabic, have us. The sense is equally good in both readings. God did bring forth the Israelites from Babylon, according to his word; he separated them from that generation, and reinstated them in their own land, according to his word; and most certainly he has preserved them from generation to generation to the present day, in a most remarkable manner.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 12:7. Thou shalt keep them — Thy words…
Psa 12:7. Thou shalt keep them — Thy words or promises last mentioned. Hebrew, תשׁמרם, tishmerem, thou wilt observe them; and what thou hast promised shall surely be performed, since with thee is no variableness nor shadow of turning. Thou wilt preserve them — Hebrew, תצרני, titzrennu thou wilt keep him, that is, thy poor and lowly servant, (spoken of Psa 12:5,) from the craft and malice of this crooked and perverse generation of men, so that he shall neither be circumvented by treachery, nor crushed by power; and thou wilt keep him undefiled amid a corrupt age; and all that trust in and cleave to thee from generation to generation.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain “Thou shalt keep them That is, the persons referred…
“Thou shalt keep them That is, the persons referred to in Psa 12:5 - the poor and the needy who were suffering from the wrongs inflicted on them. The idea is, that God would guard and defend them. They were safe in his hands. Compare Psa 37:3-7.
From this generation - This generation, or this race of detractors, flatterers, and oppressors. The idea is, that that entire generation was eminently wicked, and that none but God could deliver the poor and the needy from their designs.
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Forever - That is, “constantly,” or as long as they would need the divine protection. God would not interpose and save them from the “present” trouble, and then leave them to the designs of their enemies, but he would “always” interpose as often as there was any need of his help. That is, they were now, and would be at all times, entirely safe. They had nothing to fear, for God was their refuge and their help.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain
them--(Margin.)
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 7. Thou shalt keep them—That is, thy people, thy…
7. Thou shalt keep them—That is, thy people, thy suffering people, though surrounded on all sides by wicked persecutors.
Thou shalt preserve them—Hebrew, Thou wilt preserve him, the persecuted saint, the singular being used as a personification.
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From this generation—From the men of this age, and from the same men of every age. The character of the age is given in Psa_12:1-2. Compare Act_2:40; Mat_11:16; Mat_11:22. The hostile attitude of the world towards the Church distinguishes all generations.
For ever—To eternity. The deliverance of the righteous shall not be temporal only, but perpetual, for ever. Less than this neither the language nor subject will admit.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 7. More exactly:
7. More exactly:
Thou, O Jehovah, wilt preserve them (as Psa_16:1);
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Thou wilt guard him &c.
The first Thou is emphatic: them refers to the poor and needy of Psa_12:5 : him in the second line singles out each one of the victims of persecution as the object of divine care. Comp. the similar change from plur. (poor and needy) to sing. in Psa_12:5. But possibly we should follow the LXX and read us, instead of them and him, or at any rate in place of him.
this generation] As the men of one age are commonly distinguished by special characteristics, generation acquires an ethical significance, and denotes kind, class, in good or bad sense. Comp. Psa_14:5; Pro_30:11-14; Mat_17:17.
7, 8. Concluding expression of confidence in Jehovah’s protection, which is sorely needed when wickedness prevails unchecked.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Thou shalt keep them, O Lord. God having promised…
Thou shalt keep them, O Lord. God having promised to set the righteous, who are oppressed, in a place of safety (ver. 5), the psalmist is sure that he will keep them and preserve them from the wicked "generation," which has possession of the earth, and bears rule in it, always. It is, no doubt, for the greater consolation and encouragement of these unfortunates that he dwells on the subject, and adds his own assurances to the Divine promise which he has recorded. Man"s faith is so weak that, unless promises and assurances are reiterated, they make little impression. Thou shalt preserve them (Hebrew, him) from this generation for ever. The "generation" is that of the worldly men in power at the time, of whom we have heard in Psa_3:1, Psa_3:2, Psa_3:6, 7 4:2 5:4-6, 9, 10 6:8 7:1, 2, 9, 13-16 10:2-11, 15 11:2, 3, 6. "For ever" means "so long as they live." The substitution of "him" for "them" in this clause is an instance of that generalization by which a whole class is summed up in a single individual men" in "man," "all good men" in "the righteous" (qyDix), and the like.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 7. To fall into the hands of an…
Ver. 7. To fall into the hands of an evil generation, so as to be baited by their cruelty, or polluted by their influence, is an evil to be dreaded beyond measure; but it is an evil foreseen and provided for in the text. In life many a saint has lived a hundred years before his age, as though he had darted his soul into the brighter future, and escaped the mists of the beclouded present: he has gone to his grave unreverenced and misunderstood, and lo! as generations come and go, upon a sudden the hero is unearthed, and lives in the admiration and love of the excellent of the earth; preserved for ever from the generation which stigmatised him as a sower of sedition, or burned him as a heretic. It should be our daily prayer that we may rise above our age as the mountain tops above the clouds, and may stand out as heaven pointing pinnacle high above the mists of ignorance and sin which roll around us. O Eternal Spirit, fulfil in us the faithful saying of this verse! Our faith believes those two assuring words, and cries, Thou shalt, thou shalt.
None.
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Ver. 7. Preservation from one's generation in this life and for ever. A very suggestive theme.
Psalms 12:8*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 12:7-8 The godly know that the Lord cares, even…
12:7-8 The godly know that the Lord cares, even though the wicked continue to oppress them. The Lord sees the corrupt and foolish people who praise evildoers (see 9:19-20; 14:2-6).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.