Psalm 11–12

Psalm 11

REFUGE IN THE LORD

For the choir director. Of David.

1 I have taken refuge in the Lord.af

How can you say to me,

“Escape to the mountainsD like a bird!ag

2 For look, the wicked string bows;

they put their arrows on bowstrings

to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.a

3 When the foundations are destroyed,

what can the righteous do?”b

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;c

the Lord—his throne is in heaven.d

His eyes watch; his gazeA examines everyone.B

5 The Lord examines the righteous, but he hates the wicked

andC those who love violence.e

6 Let him rain burning coalsD and sulfur on the wicked;

let a scorching wind be the portion in their cup.f

7 For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds.

The upright will see his face.g

Psalm 12

OPPRESSION BY THE WICKED

For the choir director: according to Sheminith.h A psalm of David.

1 Help, Lord, for no faithful one remains;

the loyal have disappeared from the human race.* i

2 They lie to one another;

they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts.j

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips

and the tongue that speaks boastfully.k

4 They say, “Through our tongues we have power;

our lips are our own—who can be our master?”l

5 “Because of the devastation of the needy

and the groaning of the poor,

I will now rise up,” says the Lord.

“I will provide safety for the one who longs for it.”m

6 The words of the Lord are pure words,

like silver refined in an earthen furnace,

purified seven times.n

7 You, Lord, will guard us;F

you will protect usG from this generation forever.o

8 The wicked prowlH all around,

and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.p