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:

Yahweh, help us! [It seems that] people who are loyal to you have all vanished.

2 They each speak vanity with his neighbor, Lip of flattery! With heart and heart they speak.

Everyone tells lies to other people; they deceive others by (flattering them/saying good things about them that they know are not true).

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

Yahweh, we wish that you would cut off their tongues so that they cannot continue to boast.

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

They say, “By telling lies we will get what we want; we control what we say [MTY], so no one can tell us what we should not do!”

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.

But Yahweh replies, “I have seen the violent things that they have done to helpless people; and I have heard those people groaning, so I will arise and rescue the people who are wanting me to help them.”

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

Yahweh, you always do what you have promised to do; what you have promised is [as precious and pure as] silver that has been heated seven times in a furnace [to get rid of all the] impure material.

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

Wicked people strut around [proudly], and people praise them for doing vile/wicked deeds, but Yahweh, [we know that] you will protect/rescue us from those wicked people.

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