A Cry Against Injustice

1 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of Adam?

1 {To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David.} Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?

1 For the choir director; set to (a)Al-tashheth. A (b)Mikhtam of David.Do you indeed (c)speak righteousness, O (d)gods?Do you (A)judge (e)uprightly, O sons of men?

1 For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.”(a) A Davidic Miktam.Do you really speak righteously, you mighty ones?(b)Do you judge people fairly?(A)

1 How is it that by remaining silent you can speak righteously? How can you judge people fairly?

2 Yea, in heart ye work iniquity; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.

2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.

2 No, in heart you (B)work unrighteousness;On earth you (C)weigh out the violence of your hands.

2 No, you practice injustice in your hearts;with your hands you weigh out violence in the land.(B)

2 As a matter of fact, in your heart you plan iniquities! In the land your hands are violent!

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

3 The wicked are estranged (D)from the womb;These who speak lies (E)go astray from (f)birth.

3 The wicked go astray from the womb;liars err from birth.(C)

3 The wicked go astray from the womb; they go astray, telling lies even from birth.

4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; they are like the deaf adder that stops her ear,

4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;

4 They have venom like the (F)venom of a serpent;Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,

4 They have venom like the venom of a snake,like the deaf cobra that stops up its ears,(D)

4 Their venom is like a poisonous snake; even like a deaf serpent that shuts its ears,

5 which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.

5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.

5 So that it (G)does not hear the voice of (g)(H)charmers,Or a skillful caster of spells.

5 that does not listen to the sound of the charmerswho skillfully weave spells.(E)

5 refusing to hear the voice of the snake charmer, the cunning enchanter.

6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth; break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.

6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.

6 O God, (I)shatter their teeth in their mouth;Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.

6 God, knock the teeth out of their mouths;Lord, tear out the young lions’ fangs.(F)

6 God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; LORD, break the fangs of the young lions!

7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually; when he bends his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

7 Let them (J)flow away like water that runs off;When he (h)(K)aims his arrows, let them be as (i)headless shafts.

7 They will vanish like water that flows by;they will aim their useless arrows.(c)(d)(G)

7 May they flow away like rain water that runs off, may they become like someone who shoots broken arrows.

8 As a snail which melts, let them pass away, like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

8 Let them be as a snail which (j)melts away as it goes along,Like the (L)miscarriages of a woman which never see the sun.

8 Like a slug that moves along in slime,like a woman’s miscarried child,they will not see the sun.(H)

8 May they be like a snail that dries up as it crawls; like a woman's stillborn baby, who never saw the sun.

9 Before your pots can feel the fire of the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

9 Before your (M)pots can feel the fire of thornsHe will (N)sweep them away with a whirlwind, the (k)green and the burning alike.

9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—whether green or burning—He will sweep them away.(e)(I)

9 Before your clay pots are placed on a fire of burning thorns whether green or ablaze wrath will sweep them away like a storm.

10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

10 The (O)righteous will rejoice when he (P)sees the vengeance;He will (Q)wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

10 The righteous one will rejoicewhen he sees the retribution;(J)he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.(K)

10 The righteous person will rejoice when he sees your vengeance; when he washes his feet in the blood of the wicked.

11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily there is a God that judges in the earth.

11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

11 And men will say, “Surely there is a (l)(R)reward for the righteous;Surely there is a God who (S)judges (m)on earth!”

11 Then people will say,“Yes, there is a reward for the righteous!There is a God who judges on earth!”(L)

11 A person will say, "Certainly, the righteous are rewarded; certainly there is a God who judges the earth." To the Director: A special Davidic psalm to the tune of "Do Not Destroy," when Saul sent men to watch the house in order to kill him.

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