Psalms 12

1 For the leader; on the sheminith. A psalm of David. Help, Lord, for the good are all gone, faithful people have vanished.

Help, Jehovah, for the holy man ceases, for the faithful fail from among the sons of men.

2 One lies to another, speaking empty lies, with flattering lips and false hearts they speak.

They speak falsehood everyone with his neighbor. With flattering lip, and with a double heart, they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all the flattering lips, and the tongue that utters arrogance,

Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks great things,

4 they declare, ‘Our tongue is our strength, our allies our lips: who is lord over us?’

who have said, With our tongue will we prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?

5 ‘The poor are despoiled, and the needy are sighing; so now I will act,’ the Lord declares ‘And place them in the safety they long for.’

Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy, now I will arise, says Jehovah. I will set him in the safety he gasps for.

6 The words of the Lord are words that are pure, silver smelted, seven times refined.

The words of Jehovah are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, purified seven times.

7 You will keep us, Lord, and guard us from this generation forever,

Thou will keep them, O Jehovah. Thou will preserve them from this generation forever.

8 in a world where the wicked prowl, and worthless people exalted.

The wicked walk on every side when vileness is exalted among the sons of men.