Psalm 12 v1-2 & 5-8 of 8 Tune: Wetherby

Scottish Psalter
Psalm v1-2 & 5-8 of 8
"Help, LORD, because the godly man doth daily fade away"
Tune: Wetherby
Falkirk Free Church
The image is only intended to provide resonances with some aspects of the psalm; it is not intended as a one-to-one correspondence.
image: bow and arrow (Jeremiah 9: 3-9)

3 “They bend their tongue,
as their bow, for falsehood.
They have grown strong in the land,
but not for truth;
for they proceed from evil to evil,
and they don’t know me,” says Yahweh.
4 “Everyone beware of his neighbor,
and don’t trust in any brother;
for every brother will utterly supplant,
and every neighbor will go around like a slanderer.
5 Friends deceive each other,
and will not speak the truth.
They have taught their tongue to speak lies.
They weary themselves commiting iniquity.
6 Your habitation is in the middle of deceit.
Through deceit, they refuse to know me,” says Yahweh.

7 Therefore Yahweh of Armies says,

“Behold, I will melt them and test them;
for how should I deal with the daughter of my people?
8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow.
It speaks deceit.
One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth,
but in his heart, he waits to ambush him.
9 Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says Yahweh.
“Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on a nation such as this?

The metaphor is also used in Psalm 64.

PSALM 12 C.M.

1 Help, LORD, because the godly man
doth daily fade away;
And from among the sons of men
the faithful do decay.

2 Unto his neighbour everyone
doth utter vanity:
They with a double heart do speak,
and lips of flattery.

3 GOD shall cut off all flatt’ring lips,
tongues that speak proudly thus,
4 We’ll with our tongue prevail, our lips
are ours: who’s lord o’er us?

5 For poor oppressed, and for the sighs
of needy, rise will I,
Saith GOD, and him in safety set
from such as him defy.

6 The words of GOD are words most pure;
they be like silver tried
In earthen furnace, seven times
that hath been purified.

7 LORD, thou shalt them preserve and keep
for ever from this race.
8 On each side walk the wicked, when
vile men are high in place.