Study Desk

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?

No, in heart you ^(b)work unrighteousness; On earth you ^(c)weigh out the violence of your hands.

The wicked are estranged ^(d)from the womb; These who speak lies ^(e)go astray from ^[f]birth.

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

So that it ^(g)does not hear the voice of ^[g](h)charmers, Or a skillful caster of spells.

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

Let them ^(j)flow away like water that runs off; When he ^[h](k)aims his arrows, let them be as ^[i]headless shafts.

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.

Before your ^(m)pots can feel the fire of thorns He will ⁽ⁿ⁾sweep them away with a whirlwind, the ^[k]green and the burning alike.

The ^(o)righteous will rejoice when he ^(p)sees the vengeance; He will ^(q)wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

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!"