What does Psalms Chapter 12 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The prayer repeats how long about forgetfulness, face, sorrow and the enemy. The speaker asks hearing and enlightened eyes lest he sleep in death or enemies boast. He says he has trusted mercy and promises rejoicing and song.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is Usquequo, Domine, and the separate heading calls this a prayer in tribulation. The inscription is unto the end, for David. Four 'how long' questions concern being forgotten to the end, God's face turned away, counsels in the soul with sorrow in the heart all day, and an enemy exalted over the speaker.

In the psalmist’s speech, he asks the Lord to consider, hear and enlighten his eyes so he never sleeps in death, lest an enemy say he prevailed and those troubling him rejoice when he is moved. The speaker says he has trusted mercy; his heart shall rejoice in salvation and he will sing to the Lord giving good things and to His name, the Most High. Future joy and song are expressed, without a recorded cure, psychological diagnosis or change in the external conflict.

The story inside

Opening: The prayer repeats how long about forgetfulness, face, sorrow and the enemy. Development: The speaker asks hearing and enlightened eyes lest he sleep in death or enemies boast. Conclusion: He says he has trusted mercy and promises rejoicing and song.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The prayer repeats how long about forgetfulness, face, sorrow and the enemy.
2
The speaker asks hearing and enlightened eyes lest he sleep in death or enemies boast.
3
He says he has trusted mercy and promises rejoicing and song.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 58369–58375
12:1. Unto the end, a psalm for David. How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me unto the end? how long dost thou turn away thy face from me? 12:2. How long shall I take counsels in my soul, sorrow in my heart all the day? 12:3. How long shall my enemy be exalted over Me?
Lines 58377–58381
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. They that trouble me, will rejoice when I am moved:
Lines 58383–58385
12:6. But I have trusted in thy mercy. My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation: I will sing to the Lord, who giveth me good things: yea, I will sing to the name of the Lord, the most high.