Psalm 12 – A Prayer for the Faithful in a False World

Revision 2

For the leader; on the sheminith. A psalm of David.

12 Help, Lord, for the good are all gone,

faithful people have vanished.

2 One lies to another, speaking empty lies,

with flattering lips and false hearts they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all the flattering lips,

and the tongue that utters arrogance,

4 they declare, ‘Our tongue is our strength,

our allies our lips: who is lord over us?’

5 ‘The poor are despoiled, and the needy are sighing;

so now I will act,’ the Lord declares

‘And place them in the safety they long for.’

6 The words of the Lord are words that are pure,

silver smelted, seven times refined.

7 You will keep us, Lord,

and guard us from this generation forever,

8 in a world where the wicked prowl,

and worthless people exalted.