1 Do you rulers really give fair verdicts?

Do you judge Adam’s descendants fairly?

2 No, you invent new crimes on earth,

and your hands spread violence.

3  ⌞Even⌟ inside the womb wicked people are strangers ⌞to God⌟.

From their birth liars go astray.

4 They have poisonous venom like snakes.

They are like a deaf cobra that shuts its ears

5 so that it cannot hear the voice of a snake charmer

or of anyone trained to cast spells.

6 O God, knock the teeth out of their mouths.

Break the young lions’ teeth, O Lord.

7 Let them disappear like water that drains away.

When they aim their bows, let their arrows miss the target.

8 Let them become like a snail that leaves behind a slimy trail

or like a stillborn child who never sees the sun.

9 Let ⌞God⌟ sweep them away

faster than a cooking pot is heated by burning twigs.

10 Righteous people will rejoice when they see ⌞God⌟ take revenge.

They will wash their feet in the blood of wicked people.

11 Then people will say,

“Righteous people certainly have a reward.

There is a God who judges on earth.”