Psalm 12

To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.

1 Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.ss2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.s3 The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:s4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?s5 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.s6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.7 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.s8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.s

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.