Sharper Iron — Spring into the Psalms - Psalm 12: O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold!

Psalm 12 prays against the lying and flattering words that speak against the truth of God’s Word. Christians realize the battle against the Word of God and cry out honestly to the LORD to act decisively against those who set their words over His. In such an imprecatory prayer, we pray against our own sinful nature. As God speaks His Word, He acts, so that His Word is proved true and provides a true refuge for us as we walk through the flames of this world.

Rev. Andrew Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 12.

To learn more about Trinity in New Haven, visit trinitynewhaven.com.

Join Sharper Iron this spring to study selected Psalms. In the Psalter, God speaks His Word to us and teaches us how to speak back to Him in prayer. Even in the great variety of the Psalms, each one points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund. Together in faith, LCEF helps to start, sustain and strengthen LCMS ministries through financial and strategic partnerships. Visit lcef.org.

Psalm 12

The Faithful Have Vanished

To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith. 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 from this generation forever.

[8] On every side the wicked prowl,

as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).