Psalm 12:1-4
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Psalm 12
Plea for Help in Evil Times
To the leader: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1 Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.
2 They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?”
Psalm 12:1-4
Authorized (King James) Version
Psalm 12
To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.
1 Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth;
for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour:
with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
3 The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips,
and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
4 who have said, With our tongue will we prevail;
our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
Psalm 12:1-4
Contemporary English Version
(A psalm by David for the music leader.[a])
A Prayer for Help
1 Please help me, Lord!
All who were faithful
and all who were loyal
have disappeared.
2 Everyone tells lies,
and no one is sincere.
3 Won't you chop off
all flattering tongues
that brag so loudly?
4 They say to themselves,
“We are great speakers.
No one else has a chance.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 12 leader: The Hebrew text adds “according to the sheminith,” which may be a musical instrument with eight strings.
Psalm 12:8
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.
Psalm 12:8
Authorized (King James) Version
8 The wicked walk on every side,
when the vilest men are exalted.
Psalm 12:8
Contemporary English Version
8 But all who are wicked
will keep on strutting,
while everyone praises
their shameless deeds.[a]
Footnotes
- 12.8 while … deeds: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
