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Plea for Help in Evil Times

To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

12 Help, Lord; for there is no longer any that is godly;
    for the faithful have vanished from among the sons of men.
Every one utters lies to his neighbor;
    with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
    the tongue that makes great boasts,
those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
    our lips are with us; who is our master?”

“Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
    I will now arise,” says the Lord;
    “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
    silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.

Do thou, O Lord, protect us,
    guard us ever from this generation.
On every side the wicked prowl,
    as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Psalm 12[a]

For the director of music. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.

Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;(A)
    those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
Everyone lies(B) to their neighbor;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbor deception in their hearts.(C)

May the Lord silence all flattering lips(D)
    and every boastful tongue—(E)
those who say,
    “By our tongues we will prevail;(F)
    our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

“Because the poor are plundered(G) and the needy groan,(H)
    I will now arise,(I)” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them(J) from those who malign them.”
And the words of the Lord are flawless,(K)
    like silver purified(L) in a crucible,(M)
    like gold[c] refined seven times.

You, Lord, will keep the needy safe(N)
    and will protect us forever from the wicked,(O)
who freely strut(P) about
    when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
  2. Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth

12 (For the one directing. According to the Sheminit. Mizmor Dovid) Help, Hashem; for the chasid is no more; for the emunim (faithful ones) vanish from among Bnei Adam.

(3) They speak vanity every one with his re’a (neighbor); with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

(4) Hashem shall cut off all flattering lips, and the leshon that speaketh gedolot;

(5) Who have said, With leshoneinu (our tongue) will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is Adon over us?

(6) For the oppression of the aniyim, for the groaning of the needy, now will I arise, saith Hashem; I will set him in safety from him that sneers at him.

(7) The words of Hashem are amarot tehorot (pure words); as kesef refined in the furnace on the earth, purified seven times.

(8) Thou shalt be shomer over them, Hashem, Thou shalt preserve him [see 5(6)] from this generation forever.

(9) The resha’im strut on every side, when the vilest among the Bnei Adam are exalted.