לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל הַשְּׁמִינִית מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד

For the chief musician, on the eight-stringed harp (see 6:1; 92:4), a psalm by David.

הוֹשִׁיעָה ה' כִּי גָמַר חָסִיד כִּי פַסּוּ אֱמוּנִים מִבְּנֵי אָדָם

Help, Lord, for the faithful man is no more, for trustworthiness has disappeared from among men. There are no more righteous men; they are all gone, lost to mankind. Truth and loyalty have disappeared; only evil is left.

שָׁוְא יְדַבְּרוּ אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ שְׂפַת חֲלָקוֹת בְּלֵב וָלֵב יְדַבֵּרוּ

People speak falsehood to one another. Their words mean nothing, and their promises are worthless. They speak with flattering lips and a double heart. They are duplicitous; they do not reveal their true thoughts. They speak falsely, hiding their real intentions.

יַכְרֵת ה' כָּל שִׂפְתֵי חֲלָקוֹת לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדֹלוֹת

The psalmist pleads: May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that boasts. Although flattery may be pleasing to those in power, to those who lack influence it is indicative of haughtiness and bravado.

אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ לִלְשֹׁנֵנוּ נַגְבִּיר שְׂפָתֵינוּ אִתָּנוּ מִי אָדוֹן לָנוּ

And punish those who say: With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own. Who is master over us? Flatterers believe they can continue to deceive and threaten with impunity. What follows is a prayer and a message of good tidings:

משֹּׁד עֲנִיִּים מֵאֶנְקַת אֶבְיוֹנִים עַתָּה אָקוּם יֹאמַר ה'אָשִׁית בְּיֵשַׁע יָפִיחַ לוֹ

God will not allow this situation to go on indefinitely. Because of the robbery of the poor and the groans of the needy, the Lord says: Now I will arise and reveal Myself to avenge these injustices. I will bring deliverance; it, this deliverance, will be revealed to him, the oppressed person, when he is rescued from the clutches of those who seek to harm him.

אִמְרוֹת ה' אֲמָרוֹת טְהֹרוֹת כֶסֶף צָרוּף בַּעֲלִיל לאָרֶץ מְזֻקָּק שִׁבְעָתָיִם

The words of the Lord are pure words, devoid of all pollutants. They are like silver purified in the furnace of the earth. Alil, translated here as “furnace,” can also mean “in plain view.” The silver is refined seven times, so that it is completely free of impurities. That is to say, the words of God are utterly pure and perfect.

אַתָּה ה' תִּשְׁמְרֵם תִּצְּרֶנּוּ מִן הַדּוֹר זוּ לְעוֹלָם

You, Lord, will preserve them, all the unfortunate and afflicted. You will keep them secure from this generation, which seems poised to endure forever.

סָבִיב רְשָׁעִים יִתְהַלָּכוּן כְּרֻם זֻלּוּת לִבְנֵי אָדָם

God’s protection is needed because the wicked roam about, as lowliness [kerum zulut] is exalted among men. Some translate kerum zulut as “leeches,” which suck the blood of man. According to this reading, the wicked surround the downtrodden and exploit them, as if sucking their blood.