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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 12

Psalm 12 is read especially through the theme of wisdom, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

Wisdom
Psalms overview
Old Testament

Psalm 12

1For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men.

2Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.

3May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts,

4who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?”

5“Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in safety from those who malign him.”

6The LORD’s words are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.

7You will keep them, LORD. You will preserve them from this generation forever.

8The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 12

Psalm 12 is read especially through the theme of wisdom, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book I (Psalms 1–41). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Wisdom. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 12

Psalm 12 contains 8 verses and about 150 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 8 closes: “The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, lips, flattering, tongue, words, chief. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 12

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 12:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes wisdom, with related themes of Wisdom. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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