Psalm 12
For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.
1 Help, Lord, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.
2 Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue
4 that says, “We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips—who is our master?”
5 “Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise,” says the Lord.
“I will protect them from those who malign them.”
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.
7 O Lord, you will keep us safe
and protect us from such people forever.
8 The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.
PSALMS 12
A Prayer for Help
1 Please help me, [Lord]!
All who were faithful
and all who were loyal
have disappeared.
2 Everyone tells lies,
and no one is sincere.
3 Won't you chop off
all flattering tongues
that brag so loudly?
4 They say to themselves,
“We are great speakers.
No one else has a chance.”
5 But you, [Lord], tell them,
“I will do something!
The poor are mistreated
and helpless people moan.
I'll rescue all who suffer.”
6 Our [Lord], you are true
to your promises,
and your word is like silver
heated seven times
in a fiery furnace.t
7 You will protect us
and always keep us safe
from those people.
8 But all who are wicked
will keep on strutting,
while everyone praises
their shameless deeds.t
