Psalm 12:8

Psalm 12:8

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

a. NLT: Even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: Who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. Amplified Bible: The wicked walk or prowl about on every side, as vileness is exalted [and baseness is rated high] among the sons of men. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

d. Septuagint: The ungodly walk around: according to thy greatness thou has greatly exalted the sons of men.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: [In the Jewish Translation the text is verse 9. For clarity 8 & 9 will be listed]. Psalm 12:8, 9 You, HASHEM will guard them, You will preserve each one forever from such a generation 12:9 [in which] the wicked walk on every side, when baseness is exalted among the sons of men.

1. “The wicked walk on every side…”

a. [The] wicked [Strong: 7563 rasha` raw-shaw' from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.]

b. walk [Strong: 1980 halak haw-lak'; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread, still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, (way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.]

b. on every side [Strong: 5439 cabiyb saw-beeb' or (feminine) cbiybah {seb-ee-baw'}; from 5437; (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about, circuit, compass, on every side.] [Gesenius: from a circuit, from every side, round about.]

1). Albert Barnes Commentary: Everywhere. They have full license, or seem to be wholly unrestrained. I think the idea is clear that the wicked have multiplied so that they are all around you, you are surrounded.

2). Adam Clarke: The land is full of them.

2. “…when the vilest men are exalted.

a. [when the] vilest [Strong: 2149 zulluwth zool-looth' from 2151; properly, a shaking, i.e. perhaps a tempest:--vilest.] [Gesenius: vileness, worthlessness.]

1). The study here is by far not a complete study on the Hebrew words translated “vile” it is only one cut.

b. men [Strong: 1121 ben bane from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]  

c. exalted [Strong: 7311 * ruwmruwm room; a primitive root; to be high actively, to rise or raise (in various applications, literally or figuratively):--bring up, exalt (self), extol, give, go up, haughty, heave (up), (be, lift up on, make on, set up on, too) high(-er, one), hold up, levy, lift(-er) up, (be) lofty, (X a-)loud, mount up, offer (up), + presumptuously, (be) promote(-ion), proud, set up, tall(-er), take (away, off, up), breed worms.]

1). Commentary: 

a). John Gill Commentary: either to great dignities and high offices, to be magistrates and rulers; see Pro 29:2; or are highly esteemed and caressed; which shows the sad degeneracy and badness of the times, and the unsafe and dangerous condition the people of God are in, unless kept by him; When these kinds of people are exalted, the wicked are on every side.

b). Tehillim: [Rabbinic Commentary]: “not merely a high position; it means the highest of posts.”

c). Tehillim: [Rabbanic Commentary]: “when the lowly, wicked villains are elevated to positions of power”

d). Adam Clark’s Commentary: “The land is full of them. When the vilest men are exalted; rather, As villany gains ground among the sons of Adam.”

e). British Family Bible: It must needs be, that wicked men should abound everywhere, when the worst men are exalted, and preferred to places of honour and command.

f). Don Costello: In our system of Government in order for the vile man or woman to be exalted, the wicked have to have a majority. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are two vile men, they were exalted to the Presidency because wicked people abound in the United States. 

2). Although it is a different Hebrew word, in the text of Judges 19 the threat of homosexual sex is regarded as a “vile” thing.

a). Judges 19:24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. 

b). vile [Strong: 5039 nbalah neb-aw-law' feminine of 5036; foolishness, i.e. (morally) wickedness; concretely, a crime; by extension, punishment:--folly, vile, villany.] [Gesenius: senselessness, folly, disgraceful folly, of immorality, profane actions, disgrace, contumely disgrace.]

3). Consistent with the passage in Judges 19, the Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Ghost, wrote in Romans that same sex lust was a “vile affection.”

a). Romans 1:26, 27 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 

1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

b). vile [Strong: 819. atimia at-ee-mee'-ah from 820; infamy, i.e. (subjectively) comparative indignity, (objectively) disgrace:--dishonour, reproach, shame, vile.] [Thayer: dishonour, ignominy, disgrace.]

4). Some Historians and Bible scholars have stated the acceptance of same sex lust is one of, if not the final level of cultural corruption. The passage in Romans 1:18-32 backs that up, showing that by the time homosexuality is accepted by a culture, the culture will be filled with “all unrighteousness”. Again this flows with our first Scripture that, “The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.”  Other Commentators have stated that a closer look at the Romans passage 1:18-32 shows that, it is not that the acceptance of homosexuality will bring the wrath of God, but that the acceptance of homosexuality “is” the wrath of God.

5). The English word “vile” is used only three times in the New Testament and each time it is a different Greek word. The first of course is the passage from Romans already cited.

a). Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

(1) vile [5014 * tapeinosis][Thayer: lowness, low estate, metaphorically spiritual abasement, leading one to perceive and lament his (moral) littleness and guilt.]

b). James 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

(1) vile [4508 * rhyparos][Thayer: to be dirty, grow filthy, metaph. to be defiled with iniquity.]

6). In today’s culture, homosexuality has been elevated to a stature equal to that of the created order of heterosexuality. The next level is inevitably the persecution of those who will not accept the exaltation of the vile. There is an interesting verse in Isaiah that links us to this text in Psalms.

a). Isaiah 32:6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

7). I want to focus mainly of the beginning phrase “For the vile person will speak villainy…” Notice the Hebrew definitions.

a. vile [Strong: 5036 nabal naw-bawl' from 5034; stupid; wicked (especially impious):-- fool(-ish, -ish man, -ish woman), vile person.] [Gesenius: stupid, foolish, impious, abandoned, wicked.]

b. villany [Strong: 5039 nbalah neb-aw-law' feminine of 5036; foolishness, i.e. (morally) wickedness; concretely, a crime; by extension, punishment:--folly, vile, villany.

8). The vile, the wicked, the impious person will speak disgraceful folly, they will speak of immorality, profane actions. In light of this I want to cite two glaring examples of speaking villainy, one by President Bill Clinton and the second by President Barack Obama. They are both “firsts” by any President. In President Clinton’s case it was the first time a President had issued such a proclamation of exalting the month of June to be Gay Lesbian Pride Month. In President Obama’s case it was the first time “transgendered” was added to the proclamation. 

a).  By the President of the United States of America: A Proclamation

Thirty years ago this month, at the Stonewall Inn in New York City, a courageous group of citizens resisted harassment and mistreatment, setting in motion a chain of events that would become known as the Stonewall Uprising and the birth of the modern gay and lesbian civil rights movement. Gays and lesbians, their families and friends, celebrate the anniversary of Stonewall every June in America as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month; and, earlier this month, the National Park Service added the Stonewall Inn, as well as the nearby park and neighborhood streets surrounding it, to the National Register of Historic Places. I am proud of the measures my Administration has taken to end discrimination against gays and lesbians and ensure that they have the same rights guaranteed to their fellow Americans. Last year, I signed an Executive order that amends Federal equal employment opportunity policy to prohibit discrimination in the Federal civilian work force based on sexual orientation. We have also banned discrimination based on sexual orientation in the granting of security clearances. As a result of these and other policies, gay and lesbian Americans serve openly and proudly throughout the Federal Government. My Administration is also working with congressional leaders to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit most private employers from firing workers solely because of their sexual orientation. America's diversity is our greatest strength. But, while we have come a long way on our journey toward tolerance, understanding, and mutual respect, we still have a long way to go in our efforts to end discrimination. During the past year, people across our country have been shaken by violent acts that struck at the heart of what it means to be an American and at the values that have always defined us as a Nation. In 1997, the most recent year for which we have statistics, there were more than 8,000 reported hate crimes in our country—almost one an hour. Now is the time for us to take strong and decisive action to end all hate crimes, and I reaffirm my pledge to work with the Congress to pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. But we cannot achieve true tolerance merely through legislation; we must change hearts and minds as well. Our greatest hope for a just society is to teach our children to respect one another, to appreciate our differences, and to recognize the fundamental values that we hold in common. As part of our efforts to achieve this goal, earlier this spring, I announced that the Departments of Justice and Education will work in partnership with educational and other private sector organizations to reach out to students and teach them that our diversity is a gift. In addition, the Department of Education has issued landmark guidance that explains Federal standards against sexual harassment and prohibits sexual harassment of all students regardless of their sexual orientation; and I have ordered the Education Department's civil rights office to step up its enforcement of anti-discrimination and harassment rules. That effort has resulted in a groundbreaking guide that provides practical guidance to school administrators and teachers for developing a comprehensive approach to protecting all students, including gays and lesbians, from harassment and violence. Since our earliest days as a Nation, Americans have strived to make real the ideals of equality and freedom so eloquently expressed in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution. We now have a rare opportunity to enter a new century and a new millennium as one country, living those principles, recognizing our common values, and building on our shared strengths.

Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do thereby proclaim June 1999 as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. I encourage all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that celebrate our diversity, and to remember throughout the year the gay and lesbian Americans whose many and varied contributions have enriched our national life. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-third.

b). BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans. LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic.

Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration -- in both the White House and the Federal agencies -- openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.

The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect. My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States. These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third. BARACK OBAMA