Psalm 12

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by an eight-stringed instrument. Hebrew according to the sheminith. 1Help, 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 lipsand silence their boastful tongues. 4 They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content.Our lips are our own—who can stop us?”

5The 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.