Psalms 12

1 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.

For the leader; on the sheminith. A psalm of David. Help, Lord, for the good are all gone, faithful people have vanished.

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

One lies to another, speaking empty lies, with flattering lips and false hearts they speak.

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

May the Lord cut off all the flattering lips, and the tongue that utters arrogance,

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

they declare, ‘Our tongue is our strength, our allies our lips: who is lord over us?’

5 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.

‘The poor are despoiled, and the needy are sighing; so now I will act,’ the Lord declares ‘And place them in the safety they long for.’

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

The words of the Lord are words that are pure, silver smelted, seven times refined.

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

You will keep us, Lord, and guard us from this generation forever,

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

in a world where the wicked prowl, and worthless people exalted.