Psalm 12 laments a world of lies: “Save me, O Lord, for there is now no saint: truths are decayed from among the children of men. They have spoken vain things… with deceitful lips.” Against human deceit it sets the reliability of God: “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried by the fire, purged from the earth, refined seven times.” In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 11. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 12 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
Unto the end; for the octave, a psalm for David.
Save me, O Lord, for there is now no saint: truths are decayed from among the children of men.
They have spoken vain things every one to his neighbour: with deceitful lips, and with a double heart have they spoken.
May the Lord destroy all deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things.
Who have said: We will magnify our tongue; our lips are our own; who is Lord over us?
By reason of the misery of the needy, and the groans of the poor, now will I arise, saith the Lord. I will set him in safety; I will deal confidently in his regard.
The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried by the fire, purged from the earth refined seven times.
Thou, O Lord, wilt preserve us: and keep us from this generation for ever.
The wicked walk round about: according to thy highness, thou hast multiplied the children of men.
Psalm 12 or Psalm 11?
The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 11 is Psalm 12 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins Salvum me fac, Domine, quoniam defecit sanctus. See how many psalms are there?
What the psalm means
- A culture of lies: flattery, double hearts and boasting tongues.
- God hears the poor: “By reason of the misery of the needy, and the groans of the poor, now will I arise, saith the Lord.”
- God’s word is pure: like silver refined seven times, completely trustworthy.
- Protection: God keeps his faithful from “this generation for ever.”
How the Church uses Psalm 12
- In the Liturgy of the Hours.
- In a world of fake news and flattery, as a prayer for truthfulness and for trust in God’s word.
A prayer with Psalm 12
Written for this page:
Help, O Lord, for the faithful are few and truth seems to vanish.
Guard my lips from flattery and lies.
Your words are pure, like silver refined seven times;
let me trust your word above every human voice. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Where is “The words of the Lord are pure words”?
Psalm 12:7 in modern Bibles (11:7 in the Douay-Rheims).
What is Psalm 12 about?
A lament over lies and flattery in society, and confidence in the pure and faithful word of God.
More psalms and prayers
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 11 (12), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.