Help, O Jehovah now, because

1 Help, O Jehovah now, because
the godly man doth cease,
And from among the sons of men
the faithful men decrease.
2 The most, now, to their neighbors speak
deceitful vanities;
With flattering lips they smoothly speak,
with double hearts and lies.

3 But every flattering lip the LORD
will cut off certainly;
And all proud tongues that utter forth
words boasting, great and high:
4 Who thus declare, 'We with our tongues
prevailing power will gain:
Are not our lips our own? and who
Lord over us shall reign?'

5 For poor oppressed and needy sighs,
the Lord says, now I'll rise,
And them in safety I will set
from those who them despise.
6 Jehovah's words are words most pure;
they are as silver tried
In earthen furnaces o'er fire,
and seven times purified.

7 Jehovah, thou wilt safely keep
the upright-hearted poor,
And from this generation them
preserve for evermore;
8 Though wicked walk on every side,
grow bold and multiply;
And vile ones by the sons of men
Exalted be on high.

The Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs of the Old and New Testament, 1758