Psalm 57: Overview

St Alphonsus Liguori describes this psalm simply as follows:

The prophet describes in this psalm the perverse conduct of the wicked, and shows the chastisement that God usually inflicts upon them.

Cassiodrous, however, gives a rather more expansive summary of it that helps explain, perhaps, why it has been excluded altogether from the Liturgy of the Hours:

The Lord Christ, who is our Saviour because of His powers and warnings, is seen to upbraid the Jews' wickedness in the first part of the psalm; whilst He is charging them with their deeds, we are being warned not to act similarly. In the second section He makes known the retribution they are to suffer, introducing most appropriate comparisons. In the third part is recounted the way in which the just receive correction from the vengeance exacted from sinners.

St Augustine points out, however, just how important the cocept of divine justice is:

The words which we have sung must be rather hearkened to by us, than proclaimed. For to all men as it were in an assemblage of mankind, the Truth cries, If truly indeed justice ye speak, judge right things, you sons of men. 

He points out that the law of God is written on our vry hearts; but so that men could not plead ignorance, they were given the written law:

For to what unjust man is it not an easy thing to speak justice? Or what man if questioned about justice, when he has not a cause, would not easily answer what is just? Inasmuch as the hand of our Maker in our very hearts has written this truth. That which to yourself you would not have done, do not do to another.  Of this truth, even before that the Law was given, no one was suffered to be ignorant, in order that there might be some rule whereby might be judged even those to whom Law had not been given. But because men, desiring those things which are without, even from themselves have become exiles, there has been given also a written law: not because in hearts it had not been written, but because you were a deserter from your heart, you are seized by Him that is everywhere, and to yourself within art called back.

The psalm, then, he suggests, should be read as a call to repentance:

Therefore the written law, what cries it, to those that have deserted the law written in their hearts? Return ye transgressors to the heart.   

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, ne disperdas. David in tituli inscriptionem.	Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title.
1 Si vere útique justítiam loquímini: * recta judicáte, fílii hóminum.	If in very deed you speak justice: judge right things, you sons of men.
2  Etenim in corde iniquitátes operámini: * in terra injustítias manus vestræ concínnant.	3 For in your heart you work iniquity: your hands forge injustice in the earth.
3  Alienáti sunt peccatóres a vulva, erravérunt ab útero: * locúti sunt falsa.	4 The wicked are alienated from the womb; they have gone astray from the womb: they have spoken false things.
4  Furor illis secúndum similitúdinem serpéntis: * sicut áspidis surdæ, et obturántis aures suas.	5 Their madness is according to the likeness of a serpent: like the deaf asp that stops her ears:
5  Quæ non exáudiet vocem incantántium: * et venéfici incantántis sapiénter.	6 Which will not hear the voice of the charmers; nor of the wizard that charms wisely.
6  Deus cónteret dentes eórum in ore ipsórum: * molas leónum confrínget Dóminus.	7 God shall break in pieces their teeth in their mouth: the Lord shall break the grinders of the lions.
7  Ad níhilum devénient tamquam aqua decúrrens: * inténdit arcum suum donec infirméntur	8 They shall come to nothing, like water running down; he has bent his bow till they be weakened.
8  Sicut cera, quæ fluit, auferéntur: * supercécidit ignis, et non vidérunt solem.	9 Like wax that melts they shall be taken away: fire has fallen on them, and they shall not see the sun.
9  Priúsquam intellígerent spinæ vestræ rhamnum: * sicut vivéntes, sic in ira absórbet eos.	10 Before your thorns could know the brier; he swallows them up, as alive, in his wrath.
10  Lætábitur justus cum víderit vindíctam: * manus suas lavábit in sánguine peccatóris.	11 The just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge: he shall wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.
11  Et dicet homo: Si útique est fructus justo: * útique est Deus júdicans eos in terra	12 And man shall say: If indeed there be fruit to the just: there is indeed a God that judges them on the earth.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Rev 14:20 (11)
RB cursus	Tuesday Matins II, 5
Monastic feasts etc	AN 3533 (2)
Responsories	-
Roman pre 1911	Wednesday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Wednesday Sext . 1970: Not used, imprecatory
Mass propers (EF)	-