Psalm 12-14

Good News Translation

³ Silence those flattering tongues, O Lord!
    Close those boastful mouths that say,
⁴ “With our words we get what we want.
    We will say what we wish,
    and no one can stop us.”

⁵ “But now I will come,” says the Lord,
    “because the needy are oppressed
    and the persecuted groan in pain.
I will give them the security they long for.”

⁶ The promises of the Lord can be trusted;
    they are as genuine as silver
    refined seven times in the furnace.

^7-8 The wicked are everywhere,
    and everyone praises what is evil.
Keep us always safe, O Lord,
    and preserve us from such people.

³ Look at me, O Lord my God, and answer me.
    Restore my strength; don't let me die.
⁴ Don't let my enemies say, “We have defeated him.”
    Don't let them gloat over my downfall.

⁵ I rely on your constant love;
    I will be glad, because you will rescue me.
⁶ I will sing to you, O Lord,
    because you have been good to me.

² The Lord looks down from heaven at us humans
    to see if there are any who are wise,
    any who worship him.
³ But they have all gone wrong;
    they are all equally bad.
Not one of them does what is right,
    not a single one.

⁴ “Don't they know?” asks the Lord.
    “Are all these evildoers ignorant?
They live by robbing my people,
    and they never pray to me.”

⁵ But then they will be terrified,
    for God is with those who obey him.
⁶ Evildoers frustrate the plans of the humble,
    but the Lord is their protection.

⁷ How I pray that victory
    will come to Israel from Zion.
How happy the people of Israel will be
    when the Lord makes them prosperous again!