Psalm 12

The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
You, O Lord, will protect us;
you will guard us from this generation for ever.
On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.

I turn to scripture as prayer and for guidance regarding ultimate reality.

That the wicked prowl and vileness is exalted matches my experience.

That the promises of God are pure matches my hope and understanding.

History and personal experience suggests that the Lord will not necessarily protect and guard us from the wicked of this generation.

The psalmist used שָׁמַר (shamar) that can mean protect but more commonly means watch over, preserve, keep.

The psalmist used נָצַר (natsar) that can mean guard but is closely related to how a watchman guards by raising a warning.

It is important to listen carefully to what God is promising.

Psalm 12