Psalm 12 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Psalm 12[a]

Prayer Against Evil Tongues

1 For the leader; “upon the eighth.” A psalm of David.

I

2 Help, Lord, for no one loyal remains;
the faithful have vanished from the children of men.(A)
3 They tell lies to one another,
speak with deceiving lips and a double heart.(B)

II

4 May the Lord cut off all deceiving lips,
and every boastful tongue,
5 Those who say, “By our tongues we prevail;
when our lips speak, who can lord it over us?”(C)

III

6 “Because they rob the weak, and the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will grant safety to whoever longs for it.”(D)

IV

7 The promises of the Lord are sure,
silver refined in a crucible,[b]
silver purified seven times.(E)
8 You, O Lord, protect us always;
preserve us from this generation.
9 On every side the wicked roam;
the shameless are extolled by the children of men.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12 A lament. The psalmist, thrown into a world where lying and violent people persecute the just (Ps 12:2–3), prays that the wicked be punished (Ps 12:4–5). The prayer is not simply for vengeance but arises from a desire to see God’s justice appear on earth. Ps 12:6 preserves the word of assurance spoken by the priest to the lamenter; it is not usually transmitted in such Psalms. In Ps 12:7–8 the psalmist affirms the intention to live by the word of assurance.
  2. 12:7 A crucible: lit., “in a crucible in the ground.” The crucible was placed in the ground for support.

Cross references

  1. 12:2 : Ps 14:3; 116:11; Is 59:15; Mi 7:2.
  2. 12:3 : Ps 28:3; 55:22; Is 59:3–4; Jer 9:7.
  3. 12:5 : Sir 5:3.
  4. 12:6 : Is 33:10.
  5. 12:7 : Ps 18:31; 19:8; Prv 30:5.