1 [To the Chief Musician, altaschith. A michtam of David.] Do you indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do you judge uprightly, O you sons of men? 2 Yea, in heart you work wickedness; you weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. 4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stops its ear; 5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming ever so wisely.
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. 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. 8 As a snail who melts, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. 11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God who judges in the earth.