WHEN WHAT IS VILE IS HONORED
Key verse: 6
NIV
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?”
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
Cross references
- Psalm 12:1 : Isa 57:1; Mic 7:2
- Psalm 12:2 : Ps 5:6; 34:13; 141:3; Pr 6:19; 12:17; 13:3; Isa 32:7
- Psalm 12:2 : S Ps 5:9; Ro 16:18
- Psalm 12:3 : Pr 26:28; 28:23
- Psalm 12:3 : Ps 73:9; Da 7:8; Jas 3:5; Rev 13:5
- Psalm 12:4 : Pr 18:21; Jas 3:6
- Psalm 12:5 : Ps 44:24; 62:10; 72:14; 73:8; Ecc 4:1; 5:8; Isa 3:15; 5:7; 30:12; 59:13; Ac 7:34
- Psalm 12:5 : S Ps 6:6
- Psalm 12:5 : Ps 3:7
- Psalm 12:5 : Ps 34:6; 35:10
- Psalm 12:6 : S 2Sa 22:31; Ps 18:30
- Psalm 12:6 : S Job 23:10; S 28:1; Isa 48:10; Zec 13:9
- Psalm 12:6 : Ps 119:140
- Psalm 12:7 : Ps 16:1; 27:5
- Psalm 12:7 : Ps 37:28; Jn 17:12
- Psalm 12:8 : Ps 55:10-11
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Faithful Have Vanished
To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith.[a] A Psalm of David.12 Save, O Lord, for (A)the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2 Everyone (B)utters lies to his neighbor;
with (C)flattering lips and (D)a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all (E)flattering lips,
the tongue that makes (F)great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
our lips are with us; who is master over us?”
5 “Because (G)the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
(H)I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will place him in the (I)safety for which he longs.”
6 (J)The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7 You, O Lord, will keep them;
you will guard us[b] from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.
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Footnotes
- Psalm 12:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 12:7 Or guard him
Cross references
- Psalm 12:1 : Isa. 57:1; Mic. 7:2
- Psalm 12:2 : Ps. 41:6; 144:8
- Psalm 12:2 : Ps. 5:9; Jer. 9:8; Rom. 16:18
- Psalm 12:2 : 1 Chr. 12:33; James 1:8
- Psalm 12:3 : [See ver. 2 above]; Ps. 5:9; Jer. 9:8; Rom. 16:18
- Psalm 12:3 : Dan. 7:8; Rev. 13:5; [Ps. 17:10]
- Psalm 12:5 : Ps. 9:12
- Psalm 12:5 : Isa. 33:10; [Ps. 82:8]
- Psalm 12:5 : See Ps. 55:18
- Psalm 12:6 : Ps. 18:30; 119:140; Prov. 30:5; [Ps. 19:8]
12 Save, O Lord, for (A)the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2 Everyone (B)utters lies to his neighbor;
with (C)flattering lips and (D)a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all (E)flattering lips,
the tongue that makes (F)great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
our lips are with us; who is master over us?”
5 “Because (G)the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
(H)I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will place him in the (I)safety for which he longs.”
6 (J)The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7 You, O Lord, will keep them;
you will guard us[b] from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.
Footnotes
- Psalm 12:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 12:7 Or guard him
Cross references
- Psalm 12:1 : Isa. 57:1; Mic. 7:2
- Psalm 12:2 : Ps. 41:6; 144:8
- Psalm 12:2 : Ps. 5:9; Jer. 9:8; Rom. 16:18
- Psalm 12:2 : 1 Chr. 12:33; James 1:8
- Psalm 12:3 : [See ver. 2 above]; Ps. 5:9; Jer. 9:8; Rom. 16:18
- Psalm 12:3 : Dan. 7:8; Rev. 13:5; [Ps. 17:10]
- Psalm 12:5 : Ps. 9:12
- Psalm 12:5 : Isa. 33:10; [Ps. 82:8]
- Psalm 12:5 : See Ps. 55:18
- Psalm 12:6 : Ps. 18:30; 119:140; Prov. 30:5; [Ps. 19:8]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Everyone lies to his neighbor (1-4)
We live in times when 'the wicked strut freely about and what is vile is honored.' (8) People say, 'We own our mouths--we'll use them any way we please.' People deceive each other with flattering words and lies. Television, advertising, even so-called works of art fill the atmosphere with unspeakable corruption and violence. We cry with the Psalmist, 'Help, Lord!' Are there no more godly and faithful men? The real danger, however, is within our own hearts.
2. The word of the Lord is flawless (5-8)
The Lord protects the weak and the oppressed. He has given us his flawless word to guard our hearts and keep us from evil. What can we do? We can fill our hearts with his word and share it with others. God's word cleanses our hearts (Jn 15:3). His word builds up. We must hold God's word in our hearts and remember that the Lord owns our mouths.
Prayer: Lord, in times when what is vile is honored, help me to hold your word in my heart, and speak it with my mouth.
One Word: God's flawless word in my heart
