To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David.

8,6,8,6

^1Do ye, O congregation,

indeed speak righteousness?

O ye that are the sons of men,

judge ye with uprightness?

^2Yea, ev'n within your very hearts

ye wickedness have done;

And ye the vi'lence of your hands

do weigh the earth upon.

^3The wicked men estranged are,

ev'n from the very womb;

They, speaking lies, do stray as soon

as to the world they come.

^4Unto a serpent's poison like

their poison doth appear;

Yea, they are like the adder deaf,

that closely stops her ear;

^5That so she may not hear the voice

of one that charm her would,

No, not though he most cunning were,

and charm most wisely could.

^6Their teeth, O God, within their mouth

break thou in pieces small;

The great teeth break thou out, O Lord,

of these young lions all.

^7Let them like waters melt away,

which downward still do flow:

In pieces cut his arrows all,

when he shall bend his bow.

^8Like to a snail that melts away,

let each of them be gone;

Like woman's birth untimely, that

they never see the sun.

^9He shall them take away before

your pots the thorns can find,

Both living, and in fury great,

as with a stormy wind.

^10The righteous, when he vengeance sees,

he shall be joyful then;

The righteous one shall wash his feet

in blood of wicked men.

^11So men shall say, The righteous man

reward shall never miss:

And verily upon the earth

a God to judge there is.