Psalm 12
A psalm written by David for the choir director
1 Yahweh, help us! It seems like people who honor you are no more,
that those who are loyal to you have all vanished.
2 Everyone tells lies to other people;
they deceive others by flattering them, but they tell lies.
3 Yahweh, we wish that you would cut off their tongues
so that they cannot continue to boast.
4 They say, “By telling lies we will get what we want;
we control what we say, so no one can tell us what we should do!”
5 But Yahweh replies, “I have seen the violent things that they have done to helpless people;
I have heard those people groaning,
so I will arise and rescue the people who are wanting me to help them.”
6 Yahweh, you always do what you have promised to do;
what you have promised is as precious and pure as silver
that has been heated seven times in a furnace to get rid of all the impure material.
7 Yahweh, we know that you will protect us who honor you
from those wicked people,
8 those who strut around proudly,
while people praise them for doing evil deeds.