Psalms 58
1 To the chief music-maker; put to Al-tashheth. Michtam. Of David. Is there righteousness in your mouths, O you gods? are you upright judges, O you sons of men?
When you mighty men speak, you never say what is right; you never decide things about people justly [RHQ]!
2 The purposes of your hearts are evil; your hands are full of cruel doings on the earth.
No, in your inner beings you think only about doing what is wrong, and you commit violent crimes in this land [of Israel].
3 The evil-doers are strange from the first; from the hour of their birth they go out of the true way, saying false words.
Wicked people do wrong things and tell lies from the time that they are born [DOU].
4 Their poison is like the poison of a snake; they are like the adder, whose ears are shut;
God, show in the heavens how great you are! And show your glory to people all over the earth! What wicked people say [injures people like] the venom of a snake [MET]; They refuse to listen to good advice, [as though they were] cobras that were deaf [MET]!
5 Who will not be moved by the voice of the wonder-worker, however great are his powers.
As a result, [like a snake that does not respond when] a charmer plays a flute or when someone sings magic songs, [they do not pay attention when others rebuke them].
6 O God, let their teeth be broken in their mouths; let the great teeth of the young lions be pulled out, O Lord.
God, as for these enemies who [want to attack me like] young lions, break their teeth!
7 Let them be turned to liquid like the ever-flowing waters; let them be cut off like the grass by the way.
Cause them to disappear like water disappears [in dry ground]! Cause the arrows that they shoot to have no (heads/sharp points)!
8 Let them be like an after-birth which is turned to water and comes to an end; like the fruit of a woman who gives birth before her time, let them not see the sun.
Cause them to become like snails that disappear in the slime; cause them to be like babies that are born dead!
9 Before they are conscious of it, let them be cut down like thorns; let a strong wind take them away like waste growth.
Get rid of them [as fast as] thornbushes are blown away [after they are cut] (OR, [as fast as] a fire heats a pot over burning thorns).
10 The upright man will be glad when he sees their punishment; his feet will be washed in the blood of the evil-doer.
Righteous people will rejoice when they see wicked people being punished as they deserve; they will wash their feet in the blood of wicked people.
11 So that men will say, Truly there is a reward for righteousness; truly there is a God who is judge on the earth.
[Then] people will say, “It is true that there is a reward for righteous people; and there is indeed a God who judges people justly here on the earth!”
