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A Prayer Against Liars

For the director of music. Upon the sheminith. A psalm of David.

12 Save me, Lord, because the good people are all gone;
    no true believers are left on earth.
Everyone lies to his neighbors;
    they say one thing and mean another.

The Lord will stop those flattering lips
    and cut off those bragging tongues.
They say, “Our tongues will help us win.
    We can say what we wish; no one is our master.”

But the Lord says,
“I will now rise up,
    because the poor are being hurt.
Because of the moans of the helpless,
    I will give them the help they want.”
The Lord’s words are pure,
    like silver purified by fire,
    like silver purified seven times over.

Lord, you will keep us safe;
    you will always protect us from such people.
But the wicked are all around us;
    everyone loves what is wrong.

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