Psalms 12: The LORD's Pure Words

A complaint about deceit answered by trust in God's promises.

Psalms 12: Pure Words Amid Flattery

Following Psalms 11, David laments that godly, faithful people have grown rare while everyone around him speaks with flattering lips and a double heart. He asks the LORD to cut off proud, boastful speech that claims no one rules over it.


Unto the end, a psalm for David. How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me unto the end? how long dost thou turn away thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsels in my soul, sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider, and hear me, O Lord, my God. Enlighten my eyes, that I never sleep in death:

Lest at any time my enemy say: I have prevailed against him. They that trouble me, will rejoice when I am moved:

But I have trusted in thy mercy. My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation: I will sing to the Lord, who giveth me good things: yea, I will sing to the name of the Lord, the most high.

In contrast to human deceit, David describes the words of the LORD as pure, like silver refined in a furnace and purified seven times, a standard of trustworthiness echoed in <a href="/bible/drc/proverbs/chapter-30/5">Proverbs 30:5</a>, closing before <a href="/bible/drc/psalms/chapter-13">Psalms 13</a>.