Psalms 12-14

Psalm 12

¹For the Chief Musician; set to the 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 lip, and with a double heart, do they speak.

³The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh great things:

⁴Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

⁵For the spoiling of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety at whom they puff.

⁶The words of the LORD are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the 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 vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Psalm 13

¹For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD, wilt thou forget me for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

²How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

³Consider and answer me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

⁴Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; lest mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved.

⁵But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation:

⁶I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 14

¹For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works; there is none that doeth good.

²The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek after God.

³They are all gone aside; they are together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

⁴Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.

⁵There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

⁶Ye put to shame the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.

⁷Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.