[Steven Avery]

Hi Folks,

We should be well aware that those who see Psalm 12 as referring to the preservation of the words of God are often those who believe in and defend the tangible, pure word of God. No surprise there. And not surprisingly, those who believe the Bible today is corrupt and unreliable, faulty and errant, are very unlikely to see Psalm 12 declaring the preservation of what they do not believe.

Albert Leverett Gridley was an early defender of the word of God against the errors of evolution, science so-called. And against the criticisms, especially the higher criticisms that ran rampant in his day. Such ideas, like two or three Isaiahs, virtually ruled the scholastic establishment. Daniel and Psalms and other books as very late writings, even post-Malachi or in the Maccabean period. Evolution as a supposed science was influencing many. Albert Gridley was a defender against many of these deceptions.

Even today, often the same 'scholars' who foisted the decrepit criticism arguments are the origin or primary sources for the anti-pure-KJB attacks that we see. They will be quoted approvingly by evangelicals for their technical interpretations, often convoluted, confused and contradictory. Without concern for their overall unbelief about the word of God.

As a defender of the Bible the simple and true understanding of Psalm 12 came to Albert Gridley very naturally.

http://www.archive.org/details/first...rgen02gridgoog
http://books.google.com/books?id=q9E0AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA181
The First Chapter of Genesis as the Rock Foundation for Science and Religion
By Albert Leverett Gridley (1913)

The voice of God comes to us in remembering or reading the written word of God, the Bible. An incident to illustrate the latter.

On one occasion I had been reading Dr. Behrends' book, "The Old Testament Under Fire." I was myself a little disturbed in mind as to the outcome of recent criticism and was about to retire for the night. I had gone about half way up stairs when a strong inward impulse came, "Go back and read a passage of scripture." I was about to disregard it and go on, but it came again,

"Go back and read a passage of scripture." I returned asking myself what message there was for me. Opening my Bible at random my eyes fell upon the twelfth Psalm. I read the first few verses and thought that there was nothing in particular there, but in the 6th and 7th verses I read, "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, 0 Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever."

There was my message. The words were a revelation and an assurance. Why, I thought, it was no new thing, even in David's time for the word of God to be under fire, to be tried as in a furnace of earth. And, by the way, there may be a good deal of the earthly element now in the trying of the word of God.

But the assurance that sustained the Psalmist is encouraging still. "Thou shalt keep them, 0 Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever."

These are a few instances of a great many in which the printed word has been not only a guide but a source of encouragement, of hope and instruction. The word of God in its simplicity, as it reads, is an authority for instruction. It is more, it is life giving. I am assured by my own experience that it is not dogmatism to say that the Bible is God's word. And my experience is not unique. It is the testimony of the experience of multitudes in all ages and climes. The Bible not only contains God's word, mixed up with a mass of verbiage of human authority, leaving to each reader the responsibility of picking out God's part, but as a whole it is God's message to men.

We can see how even Albert Gridley's view was watered down under the onslaught of the day. (This was also true of some of the strong textual defenders.) Nonetheless, Gridley fought well, and the clearest and simplest and true understanding of Psalm 12 came to him very naturally, seeking the wisdom of God. And Albert Gridley adds some interesting thoughts for our consideration.

Shalom,
Steven Avery