Psalms 12

1 To the Overseer, on the octave. — A Psalm of David. Save, Jehovah, for the saintly hath failed, For the stedfast have ceased From the sons of men:

For the end, A Psalm of David, upon the eighth. Save me, O Lord; for the godly man has failed; for truth is diminished from among the children of men.

2 Vanity they speak each with his neighbour, Lip of flattery! With heart and heart they speak.

Every one has spoken vanity to his neighbour: their lips are deceitful, they have spoken with a double heart.

3 Jehovah doth cut off all lips of flattery, A tongue speaking great things,

Let the Lord destroy all the deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaks great words:

4 Who said, 'By our tongue we do mightily: Our lips [are] our own; who [is] lord over us?'

who have said, We will magnify our tongue; our lips are our own: who is Lord of us?

5 Because of the spoiling of the poor, Because of the groaning of the needy, Now do I arise, saith Jehovah, I set in safety [him who] doth breathe for it.

Because of the misery of the poor, and because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord, I will set [them] in safety; I will speak [to them] thereof openly.

6 Sayings of Jehovah [are] pure sayings; Silver tried in a furnace of earth refined sevenfold.

The oracles of the Lord are pure oracles; as silver tried in the fire, proved [in] a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

7 Thou, O Jehovah, dost preserve them, Thou keepest us from this generation to the age.

Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us, and shalt preserve us, from this generation, and for ever.

8 Around the wicked walk continually, According as vileness is exalted by sons of men!

The ungodly walk around: according to thy greatness thou has greatly exalted the sons of men.