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

A Prayer for Help

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

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12 leader: The Hebrew text adds “according to the sheminith,” which may be a musical instrument with eight strings.
  2. 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.
  3. 12.8 while … deeds: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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