Psalm 11-12

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Psalm 11

Song of Trust in God

To the leader. Of David.

¹In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me,
    “Flee like a bird to the mountains,^[a]^(A)
²for look, the wicked bend the bow,
    they have fitted their arrow to the string,
    to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.^(B)
³If the foundations are destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”^(C)

⁴The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord’s throne is in heaven.
    His eyes behold; his gaze examines humankind.^(D)
⁵The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
    and his soul hates the lover of violence.^(E)
⁶On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur;
    a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.^(F)
⁷For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
    the upright shall behold his face.^(G)

Psalm 12

Plea for Help in Evil Times

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

¹Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.^(H)
²They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a deceitful heart they speak.^(I)

³May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,^(J)
⁴those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?”

⁵“Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
    I will now rise up,” says the Lord;
    “I will place them in the safety for which they long.”^(K)
⁶The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
    silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.^(L)

⁷You, O Lord, will protect us;
you will guard us from this generation forever.^(M)
⁸On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.^(N)

Footnotes

11.1 Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb flee to your mountain, O bird

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

Psalm 11-12 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition