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The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable.[a]
They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground,
where it is thoroughly refined.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12:6 tn Heb “the words of the Lord are pure words,” i.e., untainted by falsehood or deception (in contrast to the flattery of the evildoers, v. 2).
  2. Psalm 12:6 tn Heb “[like] silver purified in a furnace of [i.e., “on”] the ground, refined seven times.” The singular participle מְזֻקָּק (mezuqqaq, “refined”) modifies “silver.” The number seven is used rhetorically to express the thorough nature of the action. For other rhetorical/figurative uses of שִׁבְעָתָיִם (shivʿatayim, “seven times”), see Gen 4:15, 24; Ps 79:12; Prov 6:31; Isa 30:26.

The Lord's promises are true.
We can trust them,
    because they are pure.
They are as pure as silver
    that people have put in a hot fire seven times.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 12:6 People dig silver from the ground. They use a hot fire to make it clean and pure. It is then very beautiful and of great value. David is saying that God's words are also like this. We can trust that he will do what he says.