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Psalm 12

Plea for Help in Evil Times

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

Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
    the faithful have disappeared from humankind.(A)
They utter lies to each other;
    with flattering lips and a deceitful heart they speak.(B)

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
    the tongue that makes great boasts,(C)
those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
    our lips are our own—who is our master?”

“Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
    I will now rise up,” says the Lord;
    “I will place them in the safety for which they long.”(D)
The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
    silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.(E)

You, O Lord, will protect us;
    you will guard us from this generation forever.(F)
On every side the wicked prowl,
    as vileness is exalted among humankind.(G)

God, a Helper against the Treacherous.

For the music director; [a]upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

12 Help, Lord, for (A)the godly person has come to an end,
For the faithful have disappeared from the sons of mankind.
They (B)speak [b]lies to one another;
They speak with [c](C)flattering lips and a double heart.
May the Lord cut off all [d]flattering lips,
The tongue that (D)speaks great things;
Who (E)have said, “With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are [e]our own; who is lord over us?”
“Because of the (F)devastation of the poor, because of the groaning of the needy,
Now (G)I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will (H)put him in the safety for which he longs.”

The (I)words of the Lord are pure words;
Like silver (J)refined in a furnace on the ground, filtered seven times.
You, Lord, will keep them;
You will (K)protect him from this generation forever.
The (L)wicked strut about on every side
When [f](M)vileness is exalted among the sons of mankind.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12 Title Or according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)
  2. Psalm 12:2 Lit worthless speech
  3. Psalm 12:2 Lit a smooth lip
  4. Psalm 12:3 Lit a smooth lip
  5. Psalm 12:4 Lit with us
  6. Psalm 12:8 Or worthlessness