Psalm 12:title–8

Human Faithlessness and God’s Faithfulness

12 For the music director; on the Sheminith.a A psalm of David.b

1 Save, O Yahweh, for the pious have ceased to be;

for the faithful have vanished

from among the children of humankind.

2 They speak falseness ⌊to each other⌋.c

With flattering lips,

with ⌊a double heart⌋d they speak.

3 May Yahweh cut off all flattering lips,

the tongue speaking great boasts—

4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail.

Our lips are on our side.

Who is master over us?”

5 “Because of the oppression of the afflicted,

because of the groaning of the poor,

now I will rise up,” Yahweh says.

“I shall put them in the safety for which theye long.”

6 The words of Yahweh are pure words

like silver refined in the crucible on the ground,

refined seven times.

7 You, O Yahweh, will protect them.

You will preserve himf

from this generation always.

8 The wicked prowl about

when vileness is exalted among the children of humankind.