Psalms 12

1 Unto the end. For the octave. A Psalm of David. Save me, O Lord, because holiness has passed away, because truths have been diminished, before the sons of men.

Help, LORD; for the godly man ceases; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

2 They have been speaking emptiness, each one to his neighbor; they have been speaking with deceitful lips and a duplicitous heart.

They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

3 May the Lord scatter all deceitful lips, along with the tongue that speaks malice.

The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things:

4 They have said: “We will magnify our tongue; our lips belong to us. What is Lord to us?”

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

5 Because of the misery of the destitute and the groaning of the poor, now I will arise, says the Lord. I will place him in safety. I will act faithfully toward him.

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, says the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffs at him.

6 The eloquence of the Lord is pure eloquence, silver tested by fire, purged from the earth, refined seven times.

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

7 You, O Lord, will preserve us, and you will guard us from this generation into eternity.

You shall keep them, O LORD, you shall preserve them from this generation for ever.

8 The impious wander aimlessly. According to your loftiness, you have multiplied the sons of men.

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.