Psalms 12

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;[#Lit That say, “By our tongues we are strengthened]

our lips are our own — who can be our master? ”

⁵“Because of the oppression of the afflicted

and the groaning of the poor,

I will now rise up,” says the Lord .

“I will put the one who longs for it in a safe place.”

⁶The words of the Lord are pure words,

like silver refined in an earthen furnace,

purified seven times.

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

You will protect us from this generation forever.

⁸The wicked wander everywhere,[#Lit walk about]

and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.