O ye assembly, do ye now,
speak righteousness indeed?
In judgment do ye sons of men,
With uprightness proceed?
Or do ye mischief in your hearts
devise; and with your hand
Then weigh, and deal out violence
throughout the injur’d land?

The wicked from the womb estrang’d
from ev’ry holy way;
And from the birth their practice is
to lie and go astray.
Ev’n like a serpent’s poison is
the poison that they bear;
And they are like the adder deaf
That stops up close her ear.

Who will not hear the charmer’s voice,
but deaf will still remain;
And tho’ he charms with utmost skill,
can no attention gain.
Break Thou their teeth within their mouths,
O GOD of mighty pow’r;
The great teeth, LORD, of lions young,
prepared to devour.

They shall as waters melt away,
which run continually;
And all their arrows ready bent
that cut to pieces be.
As melting snails shall they dissolve,
and all shall pass away;
And even like untimely births,
that never see the day.

Ere pots perceive the blaze of thorns,
He’ll seize on them alive;
And bare them in his wrath away,
as whirlwinds stubble drive.
The righteous shall rejoice when they
this righteous vengeance see;
And in the blood of impious men
their feet shall washed be.

So men shall say; sure for the just
there is a recompence;
Sure there’s a GOD, a Judge on earth,
who justice will dispense.