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.

“To the chief musician upon Sheminith, a psalm of David.” Help, O Lord; for the pious have ceased to be; for the truthful have failed from among the children of men.

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

Deceptively do they speak every one with his neighbor, with flattering lips, with a double heart do they speak.

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

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh boastful things:

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

Who have said, With our tongue will we be mighty; our lips are with us; 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 poor, because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord: I will grant safety to him for whom the other layeth a snare.

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

The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver refined in the crucible of earth, purified seven times.

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

Thou, O Lord, wilt preserve them; thou wilt guard them from this generation for ever.

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

On every side do the wicked walk about, when the vile are exalted over the sons of man.