Psalms 12

1 TO THE OVERSEER. ON THE EIGHTH. A PSALM OF DAVID. Save, YHWH, for the saintly has failed, For the steadfast have ceased From the sons of 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 each speak vanity with his neighbor, Lip of flattery! With heart and heart they speak.

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

3 YHWH cuts off all lips of flattery, A tongue speaking great things,

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

4 Who said, “By our tongue we do mightily: Our lips [are] our own; who [is] lord over us?”

Who have said, With our tongue will we be mighty; our lips are with us; who is Lord over us!

5 Because of the spoiling of the poor, Because of the groaning of the needy, Now I arise, says YHWH, I set in safety [him who] breathes for it.

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 Sayings of YHWH [are] pure sayings—Silver tried in a furnace of earth, refined sevenfold.

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

7 You, O YHWH, preserve them, You keep us from this generation for all time.

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

8 The wicked walk around continually, According as vileness is exalted by sons of men!

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