Praying Through: Psalm 12

The Psalm

Psalm 12 (CSB)
For the choir director: according to Sheminith. A psalm of David.

1 Help, LORD, for no faithful one remains; the loyal have disappeared from the human race.

2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks boastfully.

4 They say, “Through our tongues we have power; our lips are our own—who can be our master?”

5 “Because of the devastation of the needy and the groaning of the poor, I will now rise up,” says the LORD. “I will provide safety for the one who longs for it.”

6 The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times.

7 You, LORD, will guard us; you will protect us from this generation forever.

8 The wicked prowl all around, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.

The Prayer

My Lord,

My legacy has already passed through my lips. I have nothing but strongest bitterness and the most potent venom to come out of my mouth.

I have lied. I have manipulated. I have cheated.

With my snake tongue, I have tried to get others to do my bidding, believing the lie that I am the one that needs to control them in order for my soul to be at peace.

However, what if I get my way? My soul still knows no peace. I am not at ease. I am not better now than before I started telling lies.

Where is the source of this poison and bitterness? Ah, I know it is my heart. My heart is nothing but a stone vial of venom to harm others and to keep others away from me.

My God, dump the poison out. Swap my heart out with a soft, tender heart. Give me a heart that hurts when I try to fill it with poison. Give me a heart that aches in pain when I try to keep You at a distance.

God, do this through the intercession and broken body of Your Son, all by the power of your great and Holy Spirit.

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of heart will forever bring you sweet pleasure to your ears.

I love you, Lord. Thank you for saving me to You.

In your Son’s precious and beautiful name, I pray.

Amen.