Psalm 58

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

1        Do ye, O congregation,

                   indeed speak righteousness?

          O ye that are the sons of men,

                   judge ye with uprightness?

2        Yea, ev'n within your very hearts

                   ye wickedness have done;

          And ye the vi'lence of your hands

                   do weigh the earth upon.

3        The wicked men estranged are,

                   ev'n from the very womb;

          They, speaking lies, do stray as soon

                   as to the world they come.

4        Unto a serpent's poison like

                   their poison doth appear;

          Yea, they are like the adder deaf,

                   that closely stops her ear;

5        That 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.

6        Their teeth, O God, within their mouth

                   break thou in pieces small;

          The great teeth break thou out, O Lord,

                   of these young lions all.

7        Let them like waters melt away,

                   which downward still do flow:

          In pieces cut his arrows all,

                   when he shall bend his bow.

8        Like to a snail that melts away,

                   let each of them be gone;

          Like woman's birth untimely, that

                   they never see the sun.

9        He shall them take away before

                   your pots the thorns can find,

          Both living, and in fury great,

                   as with a stormy wind.

10      The righteous, when he vengeance sees,

                   he shall be joyful then;

          The righteous one shall wash his feet

                   in blood of wicked men.

11      So men shall say, The righteous man

                   reward shall never miss:

          And verily upon the earth

                   a God to judge there is.