Psalm 12

¹ Help, LORD, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.

² Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.

³ May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue

⁴ that says, "We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips—who is our master?"

⁵ "Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise," says the LORD.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."

⁶ And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.

⁷ O LORD, you will keep us safe
and protect us from such people forever.

⁸ The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.

Yes, the Lord is there for us and will protect us from "such people," but so often, we are those people. We are unfaithful and lie to our neighbors. We are the people that the Lord protects others from. Think about that for a minute. I know I've hurt so many people in my life. It's so hard to think about, but I've caused other people to turn to God because I was negative toward them and hurt them. I am wicked. But I am forgiven and made new. I don't want to be "the wicked." I also know that the Lord can redeem me from that. I am a work in progress and am constantly falling and getting up again. Praise God for forgiveness and grace!