Psalm 12

Good News Translation

A Prayer for Help^[a]

12 Help us, Lord!
    There is not a good person left;
    honest people can no longer be found.
²All of them lie to one another;
    they deceive each other with flattery.

³Silence 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.”

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

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

Footnotes

Psalm 12:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David.

Psalm 12

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Psalm 12

Plea for Help in Evil Times

To the leader: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

¹Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.^(A)
²They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a deceitful heart they speak.^(B)

³May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,^(C)
⁴those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?”

⁵“Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
    I will now rise up,” says the Lord;
    “I will place them in the safety for which they long.”^(D)
⁶The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
    silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.^(E)

⁷You, O Lord, will protect us;
you will guard us from this generation forever.^(F)
⁸On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.^(G)

Good News Translation (GNT)

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

Psalm 12 Good News Translation

A Prayer for Help[a]