(a) You counsellors of Saul, who under pretence of consulting for the common wealth, conspire my death being an innocent.

2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of {b} your hands in the earth.

(b) You are not ashamed to execute that cruelty publicly, which you have imagined in your hearts.

3 The wicked {c} are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

(c) That is, enemies to the people of God even from their birth.

4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf {d} adder that stoppeth her ear;

(d) They pass in malice and subtilty the crafty serpent who could preserve himself by stopping his ears from the enchanter.

5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.

6 Break their {e} teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.

(e) Take away all opportunity and means by which they hurt.

7 Let them {f} melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

(f) Considering God's divine power, he shows that God in a moment can destroy their force of which they brag.

8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

9 {g} Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

(g) As flesh is taken raw out of the pot before the water boils: so he desires God to destroy their enterprises before they bring them to pass.

10 The righteous shall {h} rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the {i} blood of the wicked.

(h) With a pure affection.

(i) Their punishment and slaughter will be so great.

11 So that a man shall say, {k} Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

(k) Seeing God governs all by his providence, he must put a difference between the godly and the wicked.