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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]

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

A Prayer for the Lord's Help

How much longer, Lord,
    will you forget about me?
Will it be forever?
    How long will you hide?
How long must I be confused
    and miserable all day?
How long will my enemies
    keep beating me down?

Please listen, Lord God,
    and answer my prayers.
Make my eyes sparkle again,
or else I will fall
    into the sleep of death.
My enemies will say,
    “Now we've won!”
They will be greatly pleased
    when I am defeated.

I trust your love,
and I feel like celebrating
    because you rescued me.
You have been good to me, Lord,
    and I will sing about you.

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

No One Can Ignore the Lord

(A) Only a fool would say,
    “There is no God!”
People like that are worthless;
they are heartless and cruel
    and never do right.

From heaven the Lord
    looks down to see
if anyone is wise enough
    to search for him.
But all of them are corrupt;
    no one does right.

Won't you evil people learn?
    You refuse to pray,
and you gobble up
    the Lord's people.
But you will be frightened,
because God is on the side
    of every good person.
You may spoil the plans
of the poor,
    but the Lord protects them.

I long for someone from Zion
    to come and save Israel!
Our Lord, when you bless
    your people again,
Jacob's family will be glad,
    and Israel will celebrate.

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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