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To the Director: On an eight stringed harp.[a] A Davidic Psalm.

Human and Divine Words Contrasted

12 Help, Lord, for godly people no longer exist;
    trustworthy people have disappeared from humanity.[b]
Everyone speaks lies to his neighbor;
    they speak with flattering lips and hidden motives.[c]
The Lord will cut off all slippery lips,
    and the tongue that boasts great things,
those who say,
    “By our tongues we will prevail;
        our lips belong to us.
    Who is master[d] over us?”
“Because the poor are being oppressed,
    because the needy are sighing,
    I will now arise,” says the Lord,
        “I will establish in safety those who yearn for it.”
The words of the Lord are pure,
    like silver refined in an earthen furnace,
        purified seven times over.
You, Lord, will keep them[e] safe,
    you will guard them[f] from this generation forever.
The wicked, however,[g] keep walking around,
    exalting the vileness of human beings.[h]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12:1 Or on a lower octave
  2. Psalm 12:1 Lit. from among the children of men
  3. Psalm 12:2 Lit. with slippery lips and a double heart
  4. Psalm 12:4 Or lord
  5. Psalm 12:7 So MT DSS 5/6HevPs 11QPsc; LXX reads us
  6. Psalm 12:7 So MT DSS 5/6HevPs 11QPsc; LXX reads us
  7. Psalm 12:8 The Heb. lacks however
  8. Psalm 12:8 Lit. of children of men

Psalm 12[a]

For the director of music. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.

Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;(A)
    those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
Everyone lies(B) to their neighbor;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbor deception in their hearts.(C)

May the Lord silence all flattering lips(D)
    and every boastful tongue—(E)
those who say,
    “By our tongues we will prevail;(F)
    our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

“Because the poor are plundered(G) and the needy groan,(H)
    I will now arise,(I)” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them(J) from those who malign them.”
And the words of the Lord are flawless,(K)
    like silver purified(L) in a crucible,(M)
    like gold[c] refined seven times.

You, Lord, will keep the needy safe(N)
    and will protect us forever from the wicked,(O)
who freely strut(P) about
    when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
  2. Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth