Psalms 12

1 For the Chief Musician; set to the Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

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 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak.

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

3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh great things:

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

4 Who have said, with our tongue will we 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 For the spoiling 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 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 the LORD are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, purified seven times.

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

7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

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

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

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