Psalm 12

1 For the choir director; on the sh eminith ; a psalm by David. Help, O Lord.No godly person is left.Faithful people have vanished from among Adam’s descendants!2 All people speak foolishly.They speak with flattering lips. They say one thing but mean another.3 May the Lord cut off every flattering lipand every bragging tongue4 that has said,“We will overcome with our tongues.With lips such as ours, who can be our master?”5 “Because oppressed people are robbed and needy people groan,I will now arise,” says the Lord.“I will provide safety for those who long for it.”6 The promises of the Lord are pure,like silver refined in a furnacet and purified seven times.7 O Lord, you will protect them.You will keep each one safe from those people forever.8 Wicked people parade aroundwhen immorality increases among Adam’s descendants.

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.