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Psalm 12-14
Contemporary English Version
Psalm 12-14
Contemporary English Version
(A psalm by David for the music leader.[a])
A Prayer for Help
1 Please help me, Lord!
All who were faithful
and all who were loyal
have disappeared.
2 Everyone tells lies,
and no one is sincere.
3 Won't you chop off
all flattering tongues
that brag so loudly?
4 They say to themselves,
“We are great speakers.
No one else has a chance.”
5 But you, Lord, tell them,
“I will do something!
The poor are mistreated
and helpless people moan.
I'll rescue all who suffer.”
6 Our Lord, you are true
to your promises,
and your word is like silver
heated seven times
in a fiery furnace.[b]
7 You will protect us
and always keep us safe
from those people.
8 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
1 How much longer, Lord,
will you forget about me?
Will it be forever?
How long will you hide?
2 How long must I be confused
and miserable all day?
How long will my enemies
keep beating me down?
3 Please listen, Lord God,
and answer my prayers.
Make my eyes sparkle again,
or else I will fall
into the sleep of death.
4 My enemies will say,
“Now we've won!”
They will be greatly pleased
when I am defeated.
5 I trust your love,
and I feel like celebrating
because you rescued me.
6 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
1 (A) Only a fool would say,
“There is no God!”
People like that are worthless;
they are heartless and cruel
and never do right.
2 From heaven the Lord
looks down to see
if anyone is wise enough
to search for him.
3 But all of them are corrupt;
no one does right.
4 Won't you evil people learn?
You refuse to pray,
and you gobble up
the Lord's people.
5 But you will be frightened,
because God is on the side
of every good person.
6 You may spoil the plans
of the poor,
but the Lord protects them.
7 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
- Psalm 12 leader: The Hebrew text adds “according to the sheminith,” which may be a musical instrument with eight strings.
- 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.
- 12.8 while … deeds: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Psalm 12-14
New International Version
Psalm 12-14
New International Version
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;(A)
those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
2 Everyone lies(B) to their neighbor;
they flatter with their lips
but harbor deception in their hearts.(C)
3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips(D)
and every boastful tongue—(E)
4 those who say,
“By our tongues we will prevail;(F)
our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”
5 “Because the poor are plundered(G) and the needy groan,(H)
I will now arise,(I)” says the Lord.
“I will protect them(J) from those who malign them.”
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,(K)
like silver purified(L) in a crucible,(M)
like gold[c] refined seven times.
7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe(N)
and will protect us forever from the wicked,(O)
8 who freely strut(P) about
when what is vile is honored by the human race.
Psalm 13[d]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 How long,(Q) Lord? Will you forget me(R) forever?
How long will you hide your face(S) from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts(T)
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?(U)
3 Look on me(V) and answer,(W) Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes,(X) or I will sleep in death,(Y)
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,(Z)”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.(AA)
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;(AB)
my heart rejoices in your salvation.(AC)
6 I will sing(AD) the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
Psalm 14(AE)
For the director of music. Of David.
1 The fool[e] says in his heart,
“There is no God.”(AF)
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven(AG)
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(AH)
any who seek God.(AI)
3 All have turned away,(AJ) all have become corrupt;(AK)
there is no one who does good,(AL)
not even one.(AM)
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?(AN)
Footnotes
- Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
- Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth
- Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.
- Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.
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