Psalm 12

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by an eight-stringed instrument.*

1 Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing!

The faithful have vanished from the earth!

2 Neighbors lie to each other,

speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts.

3 May the Lord cut off their flattering lips

and silence their boastful tongues.

4 They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content.

Our lips are our own—who can stop us?”

5 The Lord replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless,

and I have heard the groans of the poor.

Now I will rise up to rescue them,

as they have longed for me to do.”

6 The Lord’s promises are pure,

like silver refined in a furnace,

purified seven times over.

7 Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed,

preserving them forever from this lying generation,

8 even though the wicked strut about,

and evil is praised throughout the land.