Psalms 12

1 For the Leader; on the Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

Yahweh, help us! [It seems that] people who are loyal to you have all vanished.

2 They speak falsehood every one with his neighbour; with flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak.

Everyone tells lies to other people; they deceive others by (flattering them/saying good things about them that they know are not true).

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things!

Yahweh, we wish that you would cut off their tongues so that they cannot continue to boast.

4 Who have said: 'Our tongue will we make mighty; our lips are with us: who is lord over us?'

They say, “By telling lies we will get what we want; we control what we say [MTY], so no one can tell us what we should not do!”

5 'For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise', saith the LORD; 'I will set him in safety at whom they puff.'

But Yahweh replies, “I have seen the violent things that they have done to helpless people; and I have heard those people groaning, so I will arise and rescue the people who are wanting me to help them.”

6 The words of the LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a crucible on the earth, refined seven times.

Yahweh, you always do what you have promised to do; what you have promised is [as precious and pure as] silver that has been heated seven times in a furnace [to get rid of all the] impure material.

7 Thou wilt keep them, O LORD; Thou wilt preserve us from this generation for ever.

Wicked people strut around [proudly], and people praise them for doing vile/wicked deeds, but Yahweh, [we know that] you will protect/rescue us from those wicked people.

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