Psalm 12 in full. Tune: Genevan Psalm 12

This is not a Sing Psalms version although the tune is one of those recommended for Sing Psalms.
Tune: Donne Secours, Seigneur [Genevan 12]. In Sing Psalms it's called "Psalm 12"
For a Sing Psalms version of Psalm 12 to Kildonan see:
https://youtu.be/OHZYj3C-q0s
and for Sing Psalms to this tune see:
https://youtu.be/1sBgQn7ZUBs
metre: 11 10 11 10 (the other Sing Psalms versions with this metre are: Psalm 69, Psalm 74, Psalm 89 and Psalm 119 (7))
Source: Michael Owens (used by permission)
https://youtu.be/h1Eb88XgPQU?si=RVRyLls7AZz5HU13
The images are only intended to provide resonances with some aspects of the psalm; they are not intended as a one-to-one correspondences. They are more like visual cross-references.
image: Who Bend Their Bows to Shoot Their Arrows (Ils ont tendu leurs arcs avec malice) - James Tissot

"“They bend their tongue,
as their bow, for falsehood.
They have grown strong in the land,
but not for truth;
for they proceed from evil to evil,
and they don’t know me,” says Yahweh.
“Everyone beware of his neighbour,
and don’t trust in any brother;
for every brother will utterly supplant,
and every neighbour will go around like a slanderer.
Friends deceive each other,
and will not speak the truth.
They have taught their tongue to speak lies.
They weary themselves committing iniquity.
Your habitation is in the middle of deceit.
Through deceit, they refuse to know me,” says Yahweh.

Therefore Yahweh of Armies says,

“Behold, I will melt them and test them;
for how should I deal with the daughter of my people?
Their tongue is a deadly arrow.
It speaks deceit.
One speaks peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth,
but in his heart, he waits to ambush him.
Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says Yahweh.
“Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on a nation such as this?
(Jeremiah 9: 3-9)

For the Leader; on the Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
Psalm 12

1 Help, LORD, Your law the godly cease to savor,
The faithful fail among the sons of men.
2 Men all speak vanity each to his neighbor,
With flatt’ring lips and double hearts they sin.

3 The LORD will judge all tongues that love to flatter,
And He will sever ev’ry prideful lip.
4 Judge those who think to triumph through their chatter,
Who say they have no lord and cannot slip.

5 The poor are pressed and struggle in their sighing.
Our LORD will rise and bring them safely through.
The wicked press and crowd, the poor are crying.
Our LORD will save; His promises are true.

6 The words of God are pure, like silver tested,
Refined in fire and tested sevenfold.
7 You keep Your saints, they cannot be molested.
8 The wicked strut when godliness grows old.

Music: Genevan Psalter, 1542;
harmony Jacques Bekkers & Jacques Kort, 1947
Text: Douglas Wilson, 2000 © [email protected]