John Calvin Commentary Psalms 12:8

"The wicked walk on every side, When vileness is exalted among the sons of men." — Psalms 12:8 (ASV)

The ungodly walk about on every side. The Hebrew word סביב, sabib, which we have translated on every side, signifies a circuit, or a going round; and therefore, some explain it allegorically as follows: the ungodly seize all the defiles or narrow parts of roads, in order to shut up or besiege the good on all sides; and others expound it even more ingeniously, as follows: that they lay snares by indirect means and by inventions full of art and deception.

But I think the simple meaning is that they possess the whole land and range through every part of it, as if the Psalmist had said, "Wherever I turn my eyes, I see troops of them on every side." In the next clause, he complains that mankind are shamefully and basely oppressed by their tyranny.

This is the meaning, provided the clause is read as distinct, separate from the preceding one—a point about which interpreters differ, although this view seems to come closer to the mind of the inspired writer. Some render the verse in one continuous sentence, as follows: The ungodly fly about everywhere, when the reproaches among the children of men (that is, when the worthless and the refuse of men) are exalted—an exposition that is not unsuitable.

It commonly happens that, just as diseases flow from the head into the members, so corruptions proceed from princes and infect the whole people. However, since the former exposition is more generally received, and the most learned grammarians tell us that the Hebrew word זלות, zuluth, which we have translated reproach, is a noun of the singular number, I have adopted the former exposition—not because I am dissatisfied with the latter, but because we must choose one or the other.