| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1To 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? | 1For the choir director: "Do Not Destroy." A Davidic Miktam. Do you really speak righteously, you mighty ones? Do you judge people fairly? |
| 2No, in heart you work wickedness; You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth. | 2No, you practice injustice in your hearts; with your hands you weigh out violence in the land. |
| 3The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. | 3The wicked go astray from the womb; liars err from birth. |
| 4Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear, | 4They have venom like the venom of a snake, like the deaf cobra that stops up its ears, |
| 5Which will not heed the voice of charmers, Charming ever so skillfully. | 5that does not listen to the sound of the charmers who skillfully weave spells. |
| 6Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD! | 6God, knock the teeth out of their mouths; LORD, tear out the young lions' fangs. |
| 7Let them flow away as waters which run continually; When he bends his bow, Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces. | 7They will vanish like water that flows by; they will aim their useless arrows. |
| 8Let 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. | 8Like a slug that moves along in slime, like a woman's miscarried child, they will not see the sun. |
| 9Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, As in His living and burning wrath. | 9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns-- whether green or burning-- He will sweep them away. |
| 10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, | 10The righteous one will rejoice when he sees the retribution; he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. |
| 11So that men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth.” | 11Then people will say," Yes, there is a reward for the righteous! There is a God who judges on earth!" |
|
    |