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12 In finem. Psalmus David. Usquequo, Domine, oblivisceris me in finem? usquequo avertis faciem tuam a me?

quamdiu ponam consilia in anima mea; dolorem in corde meo per diem?

usquequo exaltabitur inimicus meus super me?

Respice, et exaudi me, Domine Deus meus. Illumina oculos meos, ne umquam obdormiam in morte;

nequando dicat inimicus meus: Praevalui adversus eum. Qui tribulant me exsultabunt si motus fuero;

ego autem in misericordia tua speravi. Exsultabit cor meum in salutari tuo. Cantabo Domino qui bona tribuit mihi; et psallam nomini Domini altissimi.

Psalm 12[a]

For the director of music. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.

Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;(A)
    those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
Everyone lies(B) to their neighbor;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbor deception in their hearts.(C)

May the Lord silence all flattering lips(D)
    and every boastful tongue—(E)
those who say,
    “By our tongues we will prevail;(F)
    our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

“Because the poor are plundered(G) and the needy groan,(H)
    I will now arise,(I)” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them(J) from those who malign them.”
And the words of the Lord are flawless,(K)
    like silver purified(L) in a crucible,(M)
    like gold[c] refined seven times.

You, Lord, will keep the needy safe(N)
    and will protect us forever from the wicked,(O)
who freely strut(P) about
    when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-8 is numbered 12:2-9.
  2. Psalm 12:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 12:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text earth