(A psalm by David for the music leader.Psalm 12 leader: The Hebrew text adds "according to the sheminith," which may be a musical instrument with eight strings.)
A Prayer for Help
1 Please help me, Lord!
All who were faithful
and all who were loyal
have disappeared.
2 Everyone tells lies,
and no one is sincere.
3 Won’t you chop off
all flattering tongues
that brag so loudly?
4 They say to themselves,
"We are great speakers.
No one else has a chance."
5 But you, Lord, tell them,
"I will do something!
The poor are mistreated
and helpless people moan.
I’ll rescue all who suffer."
6 Our Lord, you are true
to your promises,
and your word is like silver
heated seven times
in a fiery furnace.12.6 in a fiery furnace: The Hebrew text has "in a furnace to the ground," which may describe part of a process for refining silver in Old Testament times.
7 You will protect us
and always keep us safe
from those people.
8 But all who are wicked
will keep on strutting,
while everyone praises
their shameless deeds.12.8 while … deeds: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.