New International Version NIV
New King James Version NKJV
1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity?
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To the Chief Musician. Set to 'Do Not Destroy.' A Michtam of David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
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No, in heart you work wickedness; You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
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The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
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Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear,
5 that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be.
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Which will not heed the voice of charmers, Charming ever so skillfully.
6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; LORD, tear out the fangs of those lions!
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Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away; when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
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Let them flow away as waters which run continually; When he bends his bow, Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along, like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
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Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes, Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns— whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.
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Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, As in His living and burning wrath.
10 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
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The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
11 Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.”
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So that men will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.