Psalms 12

1 To the chief Musician upon 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 vanity every one with his neighbour: [with] flattering lips [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 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, [and] 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, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips [are] our own: 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 [from him that] puffeth at him.

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 furnace of earth, purified 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 shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them 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 the vilest men are exalted.