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For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

12 Help, Yahweh; for the godly man ceases.
    For the faithful fail from among the children of men.
Everyone lies to his neighbor.
    They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
May Yahweh cut off all flattering lips,
    and the tongue that boasts,
who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail.
    Our lips are our own.
    Who is lord over us?”
“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.”
Yahweh’s words are flawless words,
    as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.
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.

Psalm 12

Oppression by the Wicked

For the choir director: according to Sheminith.(A) A psalm of David.

Help, Lord, for no faithful one remains;
the loyal have disappeared from the human race.[a](B)
They lie to one another;
they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts.(C)
May the Lord cut off all flattering lips
and the tongue that speaks boastfully.(D)
They say, “Through our tongues we have power;
our lips are our own—who can be our master?” (E)

“Because of the devastation of the needy
and the groaning of the poor,
I will now rise up,” says the Lord.
“I will provide safety for the one who longs for it.”(F)

The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in an earthen furnace,
purified seven times.(G)

You, Lord, will guard us;[b]
you will protect us[c] from this generation forever.(H)
The wicked prowl[d] all around,
and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.(I)

Footnotes

  1. 12:1 Or the descendants of Adam, also in v. 8
  2. 12:7 Some Hb mss, LXX, Jer; other Hb mss read them
  3. 12:7 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read him
  4. 12:8 Lit walk about