Psalms 12

1 For the chief musician; set to the Sheminith. A psalm of David. Help, Yahweh, for the godly have disappeared; the faithful have vanished.

To the chief Musician. Upon Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Save, Jehovah, for the godly man is gone; for the faithful have failed from among the children of men.

2 Everyone says empty words to his neighbor; everyone speaks with flattering lips and a double heart.

They speak falsehood every one with his neighbour: [with] flattering lip, with a double heart, do they speak.

3 Yahweh, cut off all flattering lips, every tongue declaring great things.

Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things,

4 These are those who have said, “With our tongues will we prevail. When our lips speak, who can be master over us?”

Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail, our lips are our own: who [is] lord over us?

5 “Because of violence against the poor, because of the groans of the needy, I will arise,” says Yahweh. “I will provide the safety for which they long.”

Because of the oppression of the afflicted, because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith Jehovah, I will set [him] in safety, at whom they puff.

6 The words of Yahweh are pure words, like silver purified in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

The words of Jehovah are pure words, silver tried in the furnace of earth, purified seven times.

7 You are Yahweh! You keep them. You preserve the godly people from this wicked generation and forever.

Thou, Jehovah, wilt keep them, thou wilt preserve them from this generation for ever.

8 The wicked walk on every side when evil is exalted among the children of mankind.

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