Psalms 12

1 For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.

For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men.

2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts,

4 They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?”

5 “For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

“Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in safety from those who malign him.”

6 The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.

The LORD’s words are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.

7 You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us from this generation.

You will keep them, LORD. You will preserve them from this generation forever.

8 The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.

The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.