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To the chief Musician. 'Destroy not.' Of David. Michtam.

58 Is righteousness indeed silent? Do ye speak it? Do ye judge with equity, ye sons of men?

Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

The wicked go astray from the womb; they err as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear;

Which doth not hearken to the voice of enchanters, of one charming ever so wisely.

O God, break their teeth in their mouth; break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah.

Let them melt away as waters that flow off; when he aimeth his arrows, let them be as blunted:

Let them be as a snail that melteth as it passeth away; [like] the untimely birth of a woman, let them not see the sun.

Before your pots feel the thorns, green or burning,—they shall be whirled away.

10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the wicked:

11 And men shall say, Verily there is fruit for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.

Psalm 58[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b]

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?(A)
    Do you judge people with equity?
No, in your heart you devise injustice,(B)
    and your hands mete out violence on the earth.(C)

Even from birth the wicked go astray;
    from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
Their venom is like the venom of a snake,(D)
    like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
that will not heed(E) the tune of the charmer,(F)
    however skillful the enchanter may be.

Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;(G)
    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!(H)
Let them vanish like water that flows away;(I)
    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.(J)
May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,(K)
    like a stillborn child(L) that never sees the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns(M)
    whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[c](N)
10 The righteous will be glad(O) when they are avenged,(P)
    when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.(Q)
11 Then people will say,
    “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;(R)
    surely there is a God who judges the earth.”(S)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
  2. Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.