Psalm 12

Contemporary English Version

(A psalm by David for the music leader.^[a])

A Prayer for Help

¹Please help me, Lord!
    All who were faithful
and all who were loyal
    have disappeared.
²Everyone tells lies,
    and no one is sincere.
³Won't you chop off
all flattering tongues
    that brag so loudly?
⁴They say to themselves,
“We are great speakers.
    No one else has a chance.”

⁵But you, Lord, tell them,
“I will do something!
The poor are mistreated
and helpless people moan.
I'll rescue all who suffer.”

⁶Our Lord, you are true
    to your promises,
and your word is like silver
heated seven times
    in a fiery furnace.^[b]
⁷You will protect us
and always keep us safe
    from those people.
⁸But all who are wicked
    will keep on strutting,
while everyone praises
    their shameless deeds.^[c]

Footnotes

Psalm 12 leader: The Hebrew text adds “according to the sheminith,” which may be a musical instrument with eight strings.
12.6 in a fiery furnace: The Hebrew text has “in a furnace to the ground,” which may describe part of a process for refining silver in Old Testament times.
12.8 while … deeds: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.