1 H elp, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

Help, Lord! For principled and godly people are here no more; faithfulness and the faithful vanish from among the sons of men.

2 T hey speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

To his neighbor each one speaks words without use or worth or truth; with flattering lips and double heart they speak.

3 T he Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongues that speak proud boasting,

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

Those who say, With our tongues we prevail; our lips are our own —who is lord and master over us?

5 F or 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.

Now will I arise, says the Lord, because the poor are oppressed, because of the groans of the needy; I will set him in safety and in the salvation for which he pants.

6 T he words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over.

7 T hou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

You will keep them and preserve them, O Lord; You will guard and keep us from this generation forever.

8 T he wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

The wicked walk or prowl about on every side, as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.