Psalms 12

1 [For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.] Help, YHWH; for the faithful ceases. For the loyal have vanished from among the descendants of Adam.

To the Overseer, on the octave. — A Psalm of David. Save, Jehovah, for the saintly hath failed, For the stedfast have ceased From the sons of men:

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

Vanity they speak each with his neighbour, Lip of flattery! With heart and heart they speak.

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

Jehovah doth cut off all lips of flattery, A tongue speaking great things,

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

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

5 "Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says YHWH; "I will place in safety the one who longs for it."

Because of the spoiling of the poor, Because of the groaning of the needy, Now do I arise, saith Jehovah, I set in safety [him who] doth breathe for it.

6 The words of YHWH are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.

Sayings of Jehovah [are] pure sayings; Silver tried in a furnace of earth refined sevenfold.

7 You, YHWH, will protect us. You will guard us from this generation forever.

Thou, O Jehovah, dost preserve them, Thou keepest us from this generation to the age.

8 The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the descendants of Adam.

Around the wicked walk continually, According as vileness is exalted by sons of men!