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.

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.

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

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

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

The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh great 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.”

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.

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

The words of the LORD are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, purified seven times.

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

Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt 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 on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men.