(Vulgata: “Si vere utique iustitiam loquimini”) — “If truly you speak justice.”
(Traditionally attributed to David; a fierce denunciation of corrupt rulers.)
Versus 1
Si vere utique iustitiam loquimini, recta iudicate, filii hominum.
If indeed you speak justice, judge rightly, sons of men.
Word Notes
- si vere utique – if truly indeed (emphatic conditional phrase)
- iustitia, iustitiae (f.) – justice, righteousness
- loquimini – you speak; pres. ind. of loquor, loquī, locūtus sum (dep.)
- recta – right things; acc. pl. neut. of rectus, -a, -um
- iudicate – judge!; imperat. of iudicō, iudicāre, iudicāvī, iudicātum
- filii hominum – sons of men, human beings
Commentary
The Psalm opens as a challenge to rulers and judges: “Do you truly speak justice?” It denounces hypocrisy in those who profess virtue while practising corruption. The plural filii hominum universalises the message — this is not only about kings but all who exercise moral judgment.
Versus 2
Etenim in corde iniquitates operamini; in terra iniustitias manus vestrae concinnant.
For in your hearts you work wickedness; upon the earth your hands prepare injustice.
Word Notes
- etenim – for indeed
- cor, cordis (n.) – heart
- iniquitas, iniquitatis (f.) – iniquity, wrongdoing
- operamini – you work, do; pres. dep. of operor, operārī, operātus sum
- iniustitia, iniustitiae (f.) – injustice
- concinnant – they arrange, contrive; pres. ind. of concinnō, concinnāre, concinnāvī, concinnātum
Commentary
A vivid image of hypocrisy: injustice begins inwardly (in corde) before being enacted outwardly (in terra). Evil is not merely accidental but deliberate — “your hands contrive it.”
Versus 3
Alienati sunt peccatores a vulva; erraverunt ab utero, locuti sunt falsa.
The sinners are estranged from the womb; they have gone astray from birth, speaking lies.
Word Notes
- alienati sunt – they have been estranged; perf. pass. of alienō, alienāre, alienāvī, alienātum
- vulva, vulvae (f.) – womb
- erraverunt – they have gone astray; perf. of errō, errāre, errāvī, errātum
- uterus, uteri (m.) – womb (often used poetically alongside vulva)
- locuti sunt – they have spoken; perf. of loquor
- falsa – lies, falsehoods
Commentary
Here the psalmist paints depravity as congenital — a poetic hyperbole expressing total moral corruption. It recalls Genesis and Pauline echoes (“all have gone astray”).
Versus 4
Furor illis secundum similitudinem serpentis; sicut aspidis surdae et obturantis aures suas,
Their rage is like the likeness of a serpent; like a deaf adder that stops its ears.
Word Notes
- furor, furoris (m.) – rage, madness
- secundum similitudinem – according to the likeness of
- serpens, serpentis (m./f.) – serpent
- aspis, aspidis (f.) – asp, viper
- surda – deaf
- obturantis – stopping, closing up; pres. part. of obturō, obturāre, obturāvī, obturātum
Commentary
The serpent image is one of deliberate deafness to truth — not ignorance but willful resistance. Evil refuses to listen, even as the adder resists the voice of the charmer.
Versus 5
Quae non exaudiet vocem incantantium, et venefici incantantis sapienter.
Which does not hear the voice of charmers, nor of the enchanter who chants wisely.
Word Notes
- exaudiet – will hear / heed; fut. of ex audiō
- incantans, incantantis – chanting, charming; pres. part. of incantō, incantāre, incantāvī, incantātum
- veneficus, venefici (m.) – sorcerer, enchanter
- sapienter – wisely, skilfully (adv.)
Commentary
Even wisdom cannot move the wicked. The Psalm’s rhetoric suggests that those who harden their hearts against conscience become unreachable.
Versus 6
Deus conteret dentes eorum in ore ipsorum; molas leonum confringet Dominus.
God shall crush their teeth in their mouth; the Lord shall break the grinders of the lions.
Word Notes
- conteret – shall crush, bruise; fut. of conterō, conterere, contrīvī, contrītum
- dens, dentis (m.) – tooth
- mola, molae (f.) – molar tooth, grinder
- leo, leonis (m.) – lion
- confringet – shall break; fut. of confringō, confringere, confregī, confractum
Commentary
To “break the teeth” of the wicked means to strip them of power and aggression. In ancient Near Eastern imagery, lions symbolised predatory rulers; divine justice is imagined as rendering them harmless.
Versus 7
Ad nihilum devenient tamquam aqua decurrens; intendit arcum suum donec infirmetur.
They shall vanish like water flowing away; he has bent his bow until they grow weak.
Word Notes
- ad nihilum devenient – they shall come to nothing; fut. of dēveniō, dēvenīre, dēvēnī, dēventum
- aqua decurrens – running water
- intendit – he bends, stretches; pres. of intendō, intendere, intendī, intentum
- arcus, arcūs (m.) – bow (weapon)
- infirmetur – may be weakened; subj. of infirmō, infirmāre, infirmāvī, infirmātum
Commentary
The image of vanishing water symbolises the fleeting triumph of evil — apparent strength that dissolves under divine judgment.
Versus 8
Sicut cera, quae fluit, auferentur; supercecidit ignis, et non viderunt solem.
Like melting wax they shall be taken away; fire has fallen upon them, and they have not seen the sun.
Word Notes
- cera, cerae (f.) – wax
- fluit – flows, melts; pres. of fluō, fluere, flūxī, flūctum
- auferentur – they shall be taken away; fut. pass. of auferō, auferre, abstulī, ablātum
- supercecidit – has fallen upon; perf. of supercadō, supercadere, supercecidi
- sol, solis (m.) – sun
Commentary
Melting wax and blinding fire — twin metaphors for the dissolution and blindness of the godless.
Versus 9
Priusquam intelligerent spinae vestrae rhamnum, sicut viventes, sic in ira absorbet eos.
Before your thorns grow into the bramble, living, he shall consume them in his wrath.
Word Notes
- spina, spinae (f.) – thorn
- rhamnus, rhamni (m.) – bramble, thornbush
- intelligerent – they might perceive / feel; imperf. subj. of intellegō
- absorbet – he consumes, swallows up; pres. of absorbō, absorbere, absorbuī, absorptum
Commentary
A difficult verse: before the thorns mature, God consumes them — meaning, before the wicked can bring their plots to fruition, they are destroyed.
Versus 10
Laetabitur iustus cum viderit vindictam; manus suas lavabit in sanguine peccatoris.
The just shall rejoice when he sees vengeance; he shall wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.
Word Notes
- laetabitur – will rejoice; fut. of laetor, laetārī, laetātus sum
- iustus, -a, -um – righteous, just
- vindicta, vindictae (f.) – vengeance, justice repaid
- lavabit – he shall wash; fut. of lavō, lavāre, lāvī, lautum
- sanguis, sanguinis (m.) – blood
Commentary
The imagery is violent, but symbolic: rejoicing not in cruelty, but in justice fulfilled — a poetic counterpart to “the righteous shall see and be glad.”
Versus 11
Et dicet homo: Si utique est fructus iusto; ergo est Deus iudicans eos in terra.
And man shall say: Truly there is a reward for the just; surely there is a God who judges upon the earth.
Word Notes
- fructus, fructūs (m.) – fruit, reward, outcome
- iudicans – judging; pres. part. of iudicō
- in terra – upon the earth
Commentary
The psalm ends with a moral revelation: divine justice exists. Even amid suffering, the righteous find assurance that the moral order is not an illusion.
✶ Summary Commentary
Psalm 57 is an uncompromising denunciation of hypocrisy and systemic evil. It moves from exposure (“Do you speak justice?”) to divine retribution (“God shall crush their teeth”) and ends with moral vindication. The tone anticipates prophetic justice — fierce, but not vindictive: the psalmist longs to see truth restored in the world.
The refrain of divine sovereignty (“There is a God who judges in the earth”) encapsulates biblical realism: evil is loud, but temporary.
✶ Exercises
1️⃣ Vocabulary and Grammar
a. Give the principal parts and meaning of the following:
- loquimini
- concinnant
- conteret
- infirmetur
- absorbet
b. Identify the tense and mood of laetabitur and iudicans.
c. Explain the difference between iniquitas and iniustitia.
2️⃣ Translation Practice
Translate into Latin:
- “The righteous man trusts in God.”
- “Their words are like the poison of serpents.”
- “God will destroy the deceitful tongue.”
3️⃣ Reflection
- What modern forms of hypocrisy or injustice might this psalm describe?
- How does its fierce moral tone balance with the later message of forgiveness in the Gospels?
- Why do you think the psalmist uses such strong physical imagery (teeth, blood, fire, serpents)?