A psalm of David lamenting the disappearance of the faithful and the dominance of flattering, deceitful speech. The psalmist cries out for God to act against those who use smooth lips and a double heart. At the center stands a divine oracle: the LORD himself speaks, promising to rise and protect the poor. The psalm then contrasts human words — false, silver-tongued, manipulative — with the words of the LORD, which are pure silver refined seven times.
This psalm is structured around the opposition between two kinds of speech. Human speech in the first half is characterized by duplicity: smooth lips (sifatei chalaqot) and a double heart (lev va-lev, literally 'a heart and a heart'). The wicked speak with two hearts — one visible, one hidden. Against this verbal corruption, the psalm places the words of the LORD (imrot YHVH), which are pure (tehorot), refined like silver smelted seven times. The number seven signals complete purification: God's words contain no alloy, no hidden agenda, no double meaning. The psalm is essentially a meditation on the trustworthiness of language itself — and concludes that only divine speech can be trusted without reservation.
Verse 7 in the Hebrew (v. 6 in some English translations) contains the divine oracle — 'Now I will arise, says the LORD' — which interrupts the psalm with God's own voice. This is unusual in the Psalter; most psalms address God or speak about God, but here God speaks directly within the poem. The shift is jarring and powerful. The placement of the oracle at the psalm's center suggests that divine speech is the hinge on which the entire structure turns. Some scholars see this as a prophetic oracle delivered in the temple liturgy, with a priest or prophet speaking God's words during worship.
The 'pure words' metaphor (v. 7) connects to Proverbs 30:5 ('Every word of God is refined') and Psalm 119:140 ('Your word is very pure'). The imagery of silver refined seven times appears nowhere else in Scripture, making it a unique intensification. The lament over the disappearance of the faithful (chasid) echoes Micah 7:2 ('The faithful have perished from the earth'). The promise that the LORD will arise (aqum) uses the same verb as the ark procession formula in Numbers 10:35 ('Arise, O LORD').
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
For the choirmaster. On the sheminith. A psalm of David.
KJV To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.
הוֹשִׁ֣יעָה יְ֭הוָה כִּי־גָמַ֣ר חָסִ֑יד כִּי־פַ֥סּוּ אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃
Save us, LORD, for the faithful are gone! The trustworthy have vanished from among the children of humanity.
KJV Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
chasid is the adjective formed from chesed ('faithful love'). A chasid is a person shaped by chesed — someone who embodies covenant loyalty in their relationships. The disappearance of the chasid is not just a social problem but a covenantal crisis.
emunim derives from emunah ('faithfulness') and the root aman ('to be firm, reliable'). These are people whose word can be trusted, whose character is solid. Their disappearance means truth itself has become scarce.
שָׁ֤וְא ׀ יְֽדַבְּר֣וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ שְׂפַ֥ת חֲ֝לָק֗וֹת בְּלֵ֣ב וָלֵ֣ב יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃
They speak emptiness to one another, with smooth lips and a double heart they speak.
KJV They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
יַכְרֵ֣ת יְ֭הוָה כׇּל־שִׂפְתֵ֣י חֲלָק֑וֹת לָ֝שׁ֗וֹן מְדַבֶּ֥רֶת גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃
May the LORD cut off all smooth lips, the tongue that speaks boastfully —
KJV The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
אֲשֶׁ֤ר אָמְר֨וּ ׀ לִלְשֹׁנֵ֣נוּ נַ֭גְבִּיר שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ מִ֖י אָד֣וֹן לָֽנוּ׃
those who say, 'With our tongue we will prevail! Our lips are with us — who is master over us?'
KJV Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
מִשֹּׁ֥ד עֲנִיִּים֮ מֵאֶנְקַ֢ת אֶבְי֫וֹנִ֥ים עַתָּ֣ה אָ֭קוּם יֹאמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ית בְּ֝יֵ֗שַׁע יָפִ֥יחַֽ לֽוֹ׃
'Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, now I will arise,' declares the LORD. 'I will place him in the safety he longs for.'
KJV For 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.
qum in the mouth of God echoes Numbers 10:35 ('Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered'). When God rises, it is always to act — to judge, to save, to intervene. The word carries the full weight of divine agency entering a situation of human helplessness.
אִֽמֲר֣וֹת יְהוָה֮ אֲמָר֢וֹת טְהֹ֫ר֥וֹת כֶּ֣סֶף צָ֭רוּף בַּעֲלִ֣יל לָאָ֑רֶץ מְ֝זֻקָּ֗ק שִׁבְעָתָֽיִם׃
The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
KJV The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
imrah (singular of imrot) is used almost exclusively for divine speech in the Psalms. It differs from davar ('word, thing, matter') by emphasizing the spoken quality — these are God's actual utterances, his voice made verbal. When the psalmist says God's imrot are pure, he means every syllable God speaks is trustworthy.
אַתָּֽה־יְהוָ֥ה תִּשְׁמְרֵ֑ם תִּצְּרֶ֓נּוּ ׀ מִן־הַדּ֖וֹר ז֣וּ לְעוֹלָֽם׃
You, LORD, will guard them; you will protect us from this generation forever.
KJV Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
סָבִ֗יב רְשָׁעִ֥ים יִתְהַלָּכ֑וּן כְּרֻ֥ם זֻ֝לּ֗וּת לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃
The wicked prowl on every side when worthlessness is exalted among the children of humanity.
KJV The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.