Psalms 12

1 For the music director. To the Sheminith. A psalm of David. Help, Lord, for all the good people have gone! Those who trust in you have disappeared from among the people on earth.

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 Everyone lies to their neighbors. They flatter with nice talk, but they don't mean what they say.

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

3 Stop their flattery, Lord, and silence their boasts—

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

4 these people who say, “We will succeed through what we say; our mouths belong to us. We don't take orders from anyone!”

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

5 “Because of the violence the helpless have suffered, and because of the groans of the poor, I will rise up to defend them,” says the Lord. “I will give them the protection they have been longing for.”

“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 What the Lord says is trustworthy, as pure as silver refined seven times in a furnace.

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

7 You, Lord will keep the oppressed safe; you will protect us from these kinds of people forever;

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

8 even though the wicked are all around us, and evil is being promoted everywhere.

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