1Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
2They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
3The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
4Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
5For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
6The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
8The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
David laments the scarcity of faithful people and the abundance of lies and flattery around him, but trusts that the words of the LORD are pure like silver refined seven times, and that he will protect the needy.
Explanation
The psalm denounces a society where words have lost their value — everyone speaks 'with flattering lips and a double heart,' saying one thing while thinking another. In contrast, the words of the LORD are described with the image of silver purified in a furnace seven times, symbolizing an absolute, tested purity. Today's application is timely: in a culture saturated with empty talk and manipulation, God's Word remains a trustworthy anchor, and the text invites us to cultivate that same integrity between speech and heart.
Fun facts
- The metaphor of 'silver refined seven times' describes a real ancient metallurgical process, in which silver was melted and purified repeatedly to remove all impurities — the number seven symbolizing completeness.
- The title indicates the instrument 'Sheminith' (eight strings), the same as Psalm 6, suggesting both may have been sung to the same melody or in the same low register.