The Book of Psalms

TO THE OVERSEER. “DO NOT DESTROY.” A MIKTAM OF DAVID. Is it true, O silent one, that you speak righteously? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?

Even in heart you work iniquities, || In the land you ponder the violence of your hands.

The wicked have been estranged from the womb, || They have erred from the belly, speaking lies.

Their poison [is] as poison of a serpent, || As a deaf cobra shutting its ear,

Which does not listen to the voice of whisperers, || A charmer of most skillful charms.

O God, break their teeth in their mouth, || Break down the jaw-teeth of young lions, O YHWH.

They are melted as waters, || They go up and down for themselves, || His arrow proceeds as they cut themselves off.

He goes on as a snail that melts, || [As] an untimely birth of a woman, || They have not seen the sun.

Before your pots discern the bramble, || As living, He whirls away in His burning anger.

The righteous rejoices that he has seen vengeance, || He washes his steps in the blood of the wicked.

And man says: “Surely fruit [is] for the righteous: Surely there is a God judging in the earth!”

Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

Their poison is like the poison of a snake, like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, LORD.

Let them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

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

so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”