Psalm 12:7 kjv
Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
Psalm 12:7 nkjv
You shall keep them, O LORD, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.
Psalm 12:7 niv
You, LORD, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked,
Psalm 12:7 esv
You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever.
Psalm 12:7 nlt
Therefore, LORD, we know you will protect the oppressed,
preserving them forever from this lying generation,
Psalm 12 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 37:28 | For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints... | God preserves His faithful ones forever. |
| Ps 91:3 | For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly... | God's specific deliverance and protection. |
| Pr 2:8 | guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. | God's vigilance over the righteous. |
| Isa 40:8 | The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand... | God's eternal truth contrasts human transience. |
| Mal 3:6 | "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are..." | God's unchanging nature ensures His promises. |
| Mt 10:22 | "You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures..." | Perseverance amidst hostile generations. |
| Mt 24:12-13 | "...lawlessness will increase, and love of many will grow cold. But the..." | Endurance and ultimate salvation for believers. |
| Jn 10:28-29 | "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish...no one will..." | Christ's eternal security for His sheep. |
| Rom 8:38-39 | For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers...nor... | Nothing can separate believers from God's love. |
| Php 1:6 | And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring... | God completes the work of salvation. |
| 2 Tim 4:18 | The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into... | God's preservation to eternal kingdom. |
| Jude 1:24 | Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you... | God's power to preserve and present blameless. |
| 1 Cor 1:8-9 | who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus... | God's faithfulness to sustain His call. |
| 1 Thess 5:23-24 | May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole... | God's sanctification and preservation unto Christ's coming. |
| Ps 121:7-8 | The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD... | Comprehensive keeping by the LORD. |
| 1 Pet 1:5 | who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation... | Believers are guarded by divine power. |
| Is 54:17 | No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall... | Divine protection from spiritual attacks. |
| Heb 13:5-6 | ...for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can... | God's enduring presence and help. |
| Ps 32:7 | You are my hiding place; you will preserve me from trouble; you will... | God as refuge and preserver from trouble. |
| Jer 31:3 | The LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an eternal... | God's everlasting love ensuring His people's security. |
| Jn 17:15 | I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them... | Christ's prayer for His disciples' preservation in the world. |
| Ps 9:18 | For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor... | God's remembrance and vindication of the afflicted. |
Psalm 12 verses
Psalm 12 7 Meaning
Psalm 12:7 declares God's steadfast commitment to His faithful people. Amidst a prevalent societal corruption characterized by deceitful speech, flattery, and boasting, the LORD Himself will actively guard and preserve those who belong to Him. This divine preservation is assured not only from the prevailing wickedness of a specific age but is eternally guaranteed, underscoring God's unwavering faithfulness against the fleeting nature of human depravity.
Psalm 12 7 Context
Psalm 12 begins with a lament from David, decrying the pervasive wickedness and deceit in society. He observes that faithful people (ḥāsîḏ) and uprightness have vanished, replaced by empty, flattering words, boastful tongues, and lying lips (vv. 1-4). This corrupt environment includes oppressors who exploit the poor and needy. In response to this moral decay, God proclaims His impending action: "Now I will arise... I will place him in the safety for which he longs" (v. 5). Verse 6 then affirms the absolute purity and trustworthiness of God's words, likening them to refined silver. Against this backdrop of divine truth confronting human lies, verse 7 stands as God's direct assurance that He, the LORD, will personally keep and preserve His people from "this generation" that epitomizes evil and deceit. The Psalm concludes by noting that despite God's assurance, the wicked are still actively prowling, but it reaffirms that the righteous are under divine care.
Psalm 12 7 Word analysis
- You, O LORD (אַתָּה יְהוָה, Attah Yahweh): This is an emphatic personal address. "You" (אַתָּה) places strong emphasis on God Himself as the active agent, differentiating Him from any human inability or failure. "LORD" (יְהוָה, Yahweh) refers to the covenant God of Israel, the self-existent, faithful, and unchanging one who keeps His promises. This specific Name reinforces His reliability.
- will keep them (תִּשְׁמְרֵם, tishmərēm): Derived from the root שָׁמַר (shamor), meaning to guard, watch, preserve, protect, or take care of. It signifies watchful custody, ensuring safety. The plural suffix "-em" refers to "them"—the godly, faithful, afflicted, and needy mentioned implicitly or explicitly in the preceding verses.
- You will preserve them (תִּצְּרֶנּוּ, titsərĕnnu): From the root נָצַר (natsar), meaning to watch, guard, preserve, or keep safe. While similar to shamor, natsar often implies diligent or constant vigilance, often in the sense of keeping something for future use or protecting something valuable. The repetition with a near-synonym emphasizes the certainty and totality of God's protection. The suffix is typically interpreted as referring to "them" (the righteous).
- from this generation (מִן־הַדּוֹר זוּ, min-haddōr zû): "From" (מִן, min) denotes separation, deliverance out of or away from. "This generation" (הַדּוֹר זוּ) specifically points to the contemporary society characterized by the deceit, boastfulness, and oppression described in verses 1-4. It refers to a period marked by pervasive ungodliness, representing a constant spiritual threat to the righteous. It also has connotations of a type of people, rather than just a specific historical cohort, suggesting that this kind of evil can recur.
- forever (לְעוֹלָם, ləʻôlām): This adverb signifies eternity, perpetuity, an unending duration. God's preservation is not transient or situational but extends through all time, assuring lasting security for His people against any form of wickedness.
Words-group analysis:
- You, O LORD, will keep them; You will preserve them: The doubling of the pronoun "You" and the similar verbs highlights the LORD's singular and active responsibility for the safety of His people. It is not dependent on human effort or circumstances, but entirely on God's divine action and character. This underscores divine initiative and power.
- from this generation forever: This phrase sets up a stark contrast between the temporal, transient wickedness of humanity ("this generation") and the eternal, immutable preservation offered by God. It affirms that God's people are secure not just for a moment, but eternally protected from the influence and destructive power of corrupting environments, no matter how widespread or enduring such corruption may seem.
Psalm 12 7 Bonus section
- The Identity of "Them": "Them" refers collectively to the ḥāsîḏ (godly, faithful ones) who are vanishing (v. 1), the poor and needy for whom God will "arise" (v. 5), and implicitly, all who align themselves with the pure words of the LORD (v. 6), in contrast to the wicked generation's lies.
- Divine Assurance amidst Lament: The psalm demonstrates a characteristic shift from lament (vv. 1-4) and a call for divine intervention to an assurance based on God's character and word (vv. 5-7). This reflects the typical psalm pattern of trust arising from tribulation.
- Hope for the Remnant: In a broad sense, this verse speaks to God's commitment to preserve a faithful remnant, a theme prevalent throughout the Scriptures (e.g., Isa 1:9, Rom 9:27). Despite overwhelming corruption, God will always maintain and protect His own.
Psalm 12 7 Commentary
Psalm 12:7 is a powerful statement of divine assurance within a context of despair over pervasive wickedness. Having lamented the absence of faithfulness and the prevalence of deceit in society, the psalmist rests upon the revealed character and reliable words of God. This verse pivots the focus from human depravity to divine fidelity. God's direct, personal engagement ("You, O LORD") in the lives of His faithful ones ensures their security. The use of two strong verbs, shamor ("keep") and natsar ("preserve"), underscores the comprehensive nature of this divine care – a diligent watchfulness and safeguarding. The protection is explicitly "from this generation," meaning from the moral and spiritual dangers posed by the lies, flattery, and self-serving boastfulness that characterized the ungodly society. Most importantly, this divine safeguard is "forever." It is not a temporary reprieve but an enduring covenantal commitment. This provides immense comfort to believers throughout history who have found themselves surrounded by ungodliness, assuring them that God will ultimately deliver and sustain them, securing their eternal well-being despite worldly corruption.