Oppression by the Wicked

¹Help, Lord , for no faithful one remains;

the loyal have disappeared from the human race. ,

²They lie to one another;

they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts.

³May the Lord cut off all flattering lips

and the tongue that speaks boastfully.

⁴They say, ‘Through our tongues we have power;

our lips are our own #– #who can be our master? ’

⁵‘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.’

⁶The words of the Lord are pure words,

like silver refined in an earthen furnace,

purified seven times.

⁷You, Lord , will guard us;[#12:7 Some Hb mss, LXX, Jer; other Hb mss read them]

you will protect us from this generation for ever.

⁸The wicked prowl all around,[#12:8 Lit walk about]

and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.