No! ¹  You plan how to do what is unjust; ²  you deal out violence in the earth. ³ 

For they harass ¹  the one whom you discipline; ²  they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish. ³ 

He will defend ¹  the oppressed among the people; he will deliver ²  the children ³  of the poor and crush the oppressor.

How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults? Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

Remember your covenant promises, ¹  for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules. ² 

Your anger overwhelms me; ¹  your terrors destroy me.

Cruel rulers ¹  are not your allies, those who make oppressive laws. ² 

The shackles hurt his feet; ¹  his neck was placed in an iron collar, ² 

until the time when his prediction ¹  came true. The Lord’s word ²  proved him right. ³ 

For they say cruel and deceptive things to me; they lie to me. ¹ 

the one who delivers ¹  kings, and rescued David his servant from a deadly ²  sword.

Do not exploit ¹  a poor person because he is poor and do not crush the needy in court, ² 

A poor person ¹  who oppresses the weak is like ²  a driving rain without food. ³ 

Those who enact unjust policies are as good as dead, ¹  those who are always instituting unfair regulations, ² 

So a strong nation will extol you; the towns of ¹  powerful nations will fear you.

For tyrants will disappear, those who taunt will vanish, and all those who love to do wrong will be eliminated ¹  –

The descendants of Jacob will enjoy their former privileges. Their community will be reestablished in my favor ¹  and I will punish all who try to oppress them.

So ¹  I will pounce on them like a lion; ²  like a leopard I will lurk by the path.

The city’s rich men think nothing of resorting to violence; ¹  her inhabitants lie, ²  their tongues speak deceptive words. ³ 

“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. ¹