Psalm 12

For the chief musician; set to the Sheminith. A psalm of David.

1Help, Yahweh, for the godly have disappeared;

the faithful have vanished.

2Everyone says empty words to his neighbor;

everyone speaks with flattering lips and a double heart.

3Yahweh, cut off all flattering lips,

every tongue declaring great things.

4These are those who have said, “With our tongues will we prevail.

When our lips speak, who can be master 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.”

6The words of Yahweh are pure words,

like silver purified in a furnace on the earth,

refined seven times.

7You are Yahweh! You keep them.

You preserve the godly people from this wicked generation and forever.

8The wicked walk on every side

when evil is exalted among the children of mankind.