For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.
1Help, Lord, for no-one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.[1]2Everyone lies to their neighbour; they flatter with their lips but harbour deception in their hearts.3May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue –4those who say, ‘By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us – who is lord over us?’5‘Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,’ says the Lord. ‘I will protect them from those who malign them.’6And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold[2] refined seven times.7You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us for ever from the wicked,8who freely strut about when what is vile is honoured by the human race.
1To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith.[1] A Psalm of David. Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. (Isa 57:1; Mic 7:2)2Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. (1Ch 12:33; Ps 5:9; Ps 41:6; Ps 144:8; Jer 9:8; Ro 16:18; Jas 1:8)3May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, (Ps 12:2; Ps 17:10; Da 7:8; Re 13:5)4those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?”5“Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.” (Ps 9:12; Ps 55:18; Ps 82:8; Isa 33:10)6The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. (Ps 18:30; Ps 19:8; Ps 119:140; Pr 30:5)7You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us[2] from this generation forever.8On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.