David wrote Psalm 12 when he was surrounded by people who sounded good.

Their words sparkled, shining and glittering. They said the right things at the right times, collecting honors for their eloquence, their piety, their public performances of faithfulness.

But underneath, something was rotten.

“Help, God—the bottom has fallen out! True believers are fast disappearing.”

That’s how David starts this Psalm. It’s a gut-punch prayer from a man watching the gap widen between what people said and what they did.

I know that prayer.

You probably know it too.

Then David does something unexpected, right in the middle of his complaint. He stops, declaring:

“God’s words are pure words, pure silver words refined seven times in the fires of his word-kiln, pure on earth as well as in heaven.”

Seven times through the fire. Not just once. Not until it looks shiny and clean. Seven times. That’s what it takes to get the impurity to rise to the surface and get scraped away. What remains can bear weight. Without cracking.

That’s the standard. Not words that sound refined. Words that are refined. Tested. Proven. Holding the same shape in private that they hold in public. Pure on earth as well as in heaven.

David needed that reminder because he was drowning in the other kind.

“From the wicked who stalk us with lies, from the wicked who collect honors for their wonderful lies.”

Collect honors. That phrase is heavy for me. Because I’ve seen it. Accolades for performance. Applause for words that were never going to be lived.

The Psalm doesn’t tell me to expose those people, or hand me a megaphone with a list of grievances to publish.

It teaches me to pray, for my own mouth. To let the fire do its work.

My word for 2026 is resilience. I picked it before I knew how much I’d need it. Resilience isn’t just surviving hard things. It’s refusing to let hard stuff turn you into something you’re not. It’s going through the fire, not around it, and coming out without the dross.

Seven times. Or more, if that’s what it takes.

So here’s my prayer: God, protect my words. Keep me safe from being tainted by the lies. Let my words come from you, be uplifting and encouraging, and create safe spaces where people can be loved.