Psalms 12
1 Yahweh, help us! [It seems that] people who are loyal to you have all vanished.
For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David. Help, Yahweh; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men.
2 Everyone tells lies to other people; they deceive others by (flattering them/saying good things about them that they know are not true).
Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
3 Yahweh, we wish that you would cut off their tongues so that they cannot continue to boast.
May Yahweh cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts,
4 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!”
who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?”
5 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.”
“Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says Yahweh; “I will set him in safety from those who malign him.”
6 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.
Yahweh’s words are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.
7 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.
You will keep them, Yahweh. You will preserve them from this generation forever.
The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.
