Psalms 12
12
(A psalm by David for the music leader.#Psalm 12 leader: The Hebrew text adds “according to the sheminith,” which may be a musical instrument with eight strings.)
A Prayer for Help
1Please help me, Lord!
All who were faithful
and all who were loyal
have disappeared.
2Everyone tells lies,
and no one is sincere.
3Won't you chop off
all flattering tongues
that brag so loudly?
4They say to themselves,
“We are great speakers.
No one else has a chance.”
5But you, Lord, tell them,
“I will do something!
The poor are mistreated
and helpless people moan.
I'll rescue all who suffer.”
6Our Lord, you are true
to your promises,
and your word is like silver
heated seven times
in a fiery furnace.#12.6 in a fiery furnace: The Hebrew text has “in a furnace to the ground,” which may describe part of a process for refining silver in Old Testament times.
7You will protect us
and always keep us safe
from those people.
8But all who are wicked
will keep on strutting,
while everyone praises
their shameless deeds.#12.8 while … deeds: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Currently Selected:
Psalms 12: CEVDCI
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Psalm 12
12
The Faithful Have Vanished
To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith.#12:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term A Psalm of David.
1Save, O Lord, for #Isa. 57:1; Mic. 7:2the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2Everyone #Ps. 41:6; 144:8 utters lies to his neighbor;
with #Ps. 5:9; Jer. 9:8; Rom. 16:18 flattering lips and #1 Chr. 12:33; James 1:8a double heart they speak.
3May the Lord cut off all #[See ver. 2 above] flattering lips,
the tongue that makes #Dan. 7:8; Rev. 13:5; [Ps. 17:10]great boasts,
4those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
our lips are with us; who is master over us?”
5“Because #Ps. 9:12 the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
#
Isa. 33:10; [Ps. 82:8] I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will place him in the #See Ps. 55:18safety for which he longs.”
6 #
Ps. 18:30; 119:140; Prov. 30:5; [Ps. 19:8] The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7You, O Lord, will keep them;
you will guard us#12:7 Or guard him from this generation forever.
8On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV: