Psalm 12 (NIV)
1 Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;
those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
2 Everyone lies to their neighbor;
they flatter with their lips
but harbor deception in their hearts.
3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue—
4 those who say,
“By our tongues we will prevail;
our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”
5 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,
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 purified in a crucible,
like gold refined seven times.
7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe
and will protect us forever from the wicked,
8 who freely strut about
when what is vile is honored by the human race.
Many Psalms speak of the wicked and those who do evil. Today we rarely use these words to describe those around us. However, all of us have either been victim to someone’s hurtful words or we have been guilty of using our tongue to hurt someone else. Most of us, I would dare say, have experienced both.
Preparation: Sit in a comfortable place and close your eyes. Breathe in deeply, holding for a count of five. Slowly release your breath. Repeat.
Lectio: Read through the entire Psalm 12, aloud if possible. As you read, consider how God’s words compare to the words of humans.
During the second reading, pay attention to the words or phrases that stand out to you. Record them in you journal or underline them in your Bible.
Meditatio: Spend some time reflecting on the words that you highlighted. Consider how God is speaking to you through them.
Oratio: In your prayer today, you may want to focus on confessing the times you have hurt others with you words, and asking God to help you forgive those who have hurt you through words.
Contemplatio: Conclude your time today by resting in the promise of verse 7, that the Lord will protect us and keep us safe.
Sojourners y Peregrinas 