January 17, 2017
WORDS: DO YOURS PROVIDE WORSHIP OR WOUNDS?
Psalm 12
Bobette Kelly
Central Truth
Words can be as dangerous as weapons. But just as God protected David from his enemies, He will protect those who love Him from their enemies.
Key Verse | Psalm 12:6
The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
(Psalm 12:6)
Psalm 12
The Faithful Have Vanished
To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith. 1 12:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term A Psalm of David.
1
Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2
Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
3
May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
4
those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
our lips are with us; who is master over us?”
5
“Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the LORD;
“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
6
The words of the LORD are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7
You, O LORD, will keep them;
you will guard us
2
12:7
Or guard him
from this generation forever.
8
On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 12
Today’s devotional could easily focus on the ungodly people the psalmist describes. But what would be the point? We encounter these people almost daily—at school, in the workplace, in social settings, and even, sadly, in our own family circles. Many of us may be all too familiar with the havoc they cause. So instead, let’s rivet our eyes on the One who will arise and protect us from those who flatter, boast, lie, and plunder.
The psalmist says that the words of the Lord are "like silver refined [and] purified seven times.”
Understanding this analogy requires an understanding of the silversmith’s craft. In ancient times, to create an object of beauty, the silversmith melted the silver ore using extreme heat to separate the dross from the precious metal. He repeated this process until all the impurities were gone and (here comes the cool part) he saw his reflection mirrored in the crucible. When the silversmith could clearly see his reflection, he knew the silver was pure.
Of course, the Lord’s words have been pure since the beginning of time. And we know that Jesus’ words are just like the Father’s. The Apostle John writes to us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) So let's consider some characteristics of God’s words:
His words bring comfort, express compassion, create unity, pronounce judgment, and offer everlasting life.
His words caution us, convict us, exhort us, edify us, and train us in righteousness.
His words are a lamp to our feet and a sweet taste in our mouths.
His words are alive and active. His words will never pass away.
So as we end our quiet time with God today, let’s pray that He will work through the Holy Spirit to refine our words—to remove the dross. The refining may require a hot fire, but in the end we want to be objects of beauty that allow the world to see the reflection of His Son in us.
Discussion Questions
1. Luke tells us, “[F]or out of the abundance of the heart, [the] mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45b) What do your words tell others about the state of your heart?
2. What characteristics of God’s words do you need to imitate today? Is there someone, for example, to whom you need to speak words of comfort?
3. We are told to hide God’s Word in our hearts. Select a verse to memorize that will remind you of God’s words in times when your words fail you.