Psalm 12

1 Help, Jehovah; for the godly man ceaseth; For the faithful fail from among the children of men.

2 They speak falsehood every one with his neighbor: With flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak.

3 Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaketh great things;

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

5 Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy, Now will I arise, saith Jehovah; I will set him in the safety he panteth for.

6 The words of Jehovah are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, Purified seven times.

7 Thou wilt keep them, O Jehovah, Thou wilt preserve them from this generation for ever.

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

Psalm 12

For the music director; according to the sheminith style; a psalm of David.

1 Deliver, Lord!
For the godly have disappeared;
people of integrity have vanished.

2 People lie to one another;
they flatter and deceive.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
and the tongue that boasts!

4 They say, “We speak persuasively;
we know how to flatter and boast.
Who is our master?”

5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed,
because of the painful cries of the needy,
I will spring into action,” says the Lord.
“I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.”

6 The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable.
They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground,
where it is thoroughly refined.

7 You, Lord, will protect them;
you will continually shelter each one from these evil people,

8 for the wicked seem to be everywhere,
when people promote evil.