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Psalm 12

For the worship leader. A song of David accompanied by the lyre.[a]

Help me, O Eternal One, for I can’t find anyone who follows You.
    The faithful have fallen out of sight.
Everyone tells lies through sweet-talking lips
    and speaks from a hollow and deceptive heart.

May the Eternal silence all sweet-talking lips,
    stop all boasting tongues,
Of those who say, “With our words we will win;
    our lips are our own. Who is the master of our souls?”

“I will rise up,” says the Eternal,
    “because the poor are being trampled, and the needy groan for My saving help.
    I will lift them up to the safety they long for.”
The promises of the Eternal, they are true, they are pure—
    like silver refined in a furnace,
    purified seven times, they will be without impurity.

You, O Eternal, will be their protector.
    You will keep them safe from those around them forever.
All around, those who are wicked parade—proud and arrogant—and people applaud their emptiness.

Footnotes

  1. 12:title Hebrew, sheminith, perhaps an eight-stringed instrument from a root meaning “eight”

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

12 Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

Psalm 13

For the worship leader. A song of David.

How long, O Eternal One? How long will You forget me? Forever?
    How long will You look the other way?

How long must I agonize,
    grieving Your absence in my heart every day?
How long will You let my enemies win?

Turn back; respond to me, O Eternal, my True God!
    Put the spark of life in my eyes, or I’m dead.
My enemies will boast they have beaten me;
    my foes will celebrate that I have stumbled.

But I trust in Your faithful love;
    my heart leaps at the thought of imminent deliverance by You.
I will sing to the Eternal,
    for He is always generous with me.

Psalm 13[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

How long,(A) Lord? Will you forget me(B) forever?
    How long will you hide your face(C) from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts(D)
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?(E)

Look on me(F) and answer,(G) Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes,(H) or I will sleep in death,(I)
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,(J)
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.(K)

But I trust in your unfailing love;(L)
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.(M)
I will sing(N) the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.

13 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.