Such is the destiny ¹  of all who forget God; the hope of the godless ²  perishes,

although you know ¹  that I am not guilty, and that there is no one who can deliver ²  out of your hand?

Moreover, this will become my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him. ¹ 

that the elation of the wicked is brief, ¹  the joy of the godless ²  lasts but a moment. ³ 

This is the portion of the wicked man allotted by God, ¹  the inheritance that evildoers receive from the Almighty.

I broke the fangs ¹  of the wicked, and made him drop ²  his prey from his teeth.

Why does the wicked man reject God? ¹  He says to himself, ²  “You ³  will not hold me accountable.” ⁴ 

I have seen ruthless evil men ¹  growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil. ² 

The Lord’s curse ¹  is on the household ²  of the wicked, ³  but he blesses ⁴  the home ⁵  of the righteous. ⁶ 

The wicked ¹  will be captured by his ²  own iniquities, ³  and he will be held ⁴  by the cords of his own sin. ⁵ 

The teaching ¹  of the righteous is a fountain of life, ²  but the speech ³  of the wicked conceals ⁴  violence. ⁵ 

What the righteous say ¹  is like ²  the best ³  silver, but what the wicked think ⁴  is of little value. ⁵ 

Fearing the Lord ¹  prolongs life, ²  but the life span ³  of the wicked will be shortened. ⁴ 

The hope ¹  of the righteous is joy, but the expectation of the wicked will remain unfulfilled. ² 

The righteousness of the blameless will make straight their way, ¹  but the wicked person will fall by his own wickedness. ² 

When a wicked person dies, his expectation perishes, ¹  and the hope of his strength ²  perishes. ³ 

A city is exalted by the blessing provided from ¹  the upright, but it is destroyed by the counsel ²  of the wicked. ³ 

Be assured that ¹  the evil person will certainly be punished, ²  but the descendants of the righteous ³  will not suffer unjust judgment. ⁴ 

What the righteous desire ¹  leads ²  only to good, but what the wicked hope for ³  leads ⁴  to wrath.

If the righteous are recompensed on earth, ¹  how much more ²  the wicked sinner! ³