Psalms 12

1 For the Leader; on the Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

For the end, A Psalm of David, upon the eighth. Save me, O Lord; for the godly man has failed; for truth is diminished from among the children of men.

2 They speak falsehood every one with his neighbour; with flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak.

Every one has spoken vanity to his neighbor: their lips are deceitful, they have spoken with a double heart.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things!

Let the Lord destroy all the deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaks great words:

4 Who have said: 'Our tongue will we make mighty; our lips are with us: who is lord over us?'

who have said, We will magnify our tongue; our lips are our own: who is Lord of us?

5 '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 at whom they puff.'

Because of the misery of the poor, and because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, says the Lord, I will set [them] in safety; I will speak [to them] thereof openly.

6 The words of the LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a crucible on the earth, refined seven times.

The oracles of the Lord are pure oracles; as silver tried in the fire, proved [in] a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

7 Thou wilt keep them, O LORD; Thou wilt preserve us from this generation for ever.

You, O Lord, shall keep us, and shall preserve us, from this generation, and for ever.

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

The ungodly walk around: according to your greatness you has greatly exalted the sons of men.