1To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.2They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.3The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:4Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?5For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.6The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.7Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.8The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.
For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.
1Help, LORD! No one does what is right anymore. Those who are faithful have disappeared from the human race.2Everyone tells lies to their neighbours. With their lips they praise others, but they don’t really mean it.3May the LORD close all lips that don’t mean what they say. May he stop every tongue that boasts.4They say, ‘What we speak with our tongues will win the battle. What we say with our lips will keep us safe. No one will have victory over us.’5The LORD says, ‘The poor are being robbed. Those who are in need groan. So I will stand up to help them. I will keep them safe from those who tell lies about them.’6The words of the LORD are perfect. They are like silver made pure in a clay furnace. They are like gold made pure seven times over.7LORD, you will keep needy people safe. You will always keep sinners from hurting us.8Proud and sinful people walk around openly when the evil they do is praised by the human race.