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Psalm 12

Psalm 11Psalm 13

Psalm 12 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Plea for Help in Evil Times

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

12 Help, Lord; for there is no longer any that is godly;
    for the faithful have vanished from among the sons of men.
2 Every one utters lies to his neighbor;
    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 tongue we will prevail,
    our lips are with us; who is our master?”

5 “Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
    I will now arise,” says the Lord;
    “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
    silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.

7 Do thou, O Lord, protect us,
    guard us ever from this generation.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
    as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 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.

Psalm 12 New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 12[a]

For the director of music. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.

1 Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;
    those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
2 Everyone lies to their neighbor;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbor deception in their hearts.

3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips
    and every boastful tongue—
4 those who say,
    “By our tongues we will prevail;
    our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

5 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,
    I will now arise,” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them from those who malign them.”
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,
    like silver purified in a crucible,
    like gold[c] refined seven times.

7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe
    and will protect us forever from the wicked,
8 who freely strut 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
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
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