Psalms 58
1 Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title. If in very deed you speak justice: judge right things, ye sons of men.
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?
2 For in your heart you work iniquity: your hands forge injustice in the earth.
No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are alienated from the womb; they have gone astray from the womb: they have spoken false things.
The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
4 Their madness is according to the likeness of a serpent: like the deaf asp that stoppeth her ears:
Their poison is like the poison of a snake, like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,
5 Which will not hear the voice of the charmers; nor of the wizard that charmeth wisely.
which does not listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.
6 God shall break in pieces their teeth in their mouth: the Lord shall break the grinders of the lions.
Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, LORD.
7 They shall come to nothing, like water running down; he hath bent his bow till they be weakened.
Let them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.
8 Like wax that melteth they shall be taken away: fire hath fallen on them, and they shall not see the sun.
Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.
9 Before your thorns could know the brier; he swalloweth them up, as alive, in his wrath.
Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.
10 The just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge: he shall wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.
The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
11 And man shall say: If indeed there be fruit to the just: there is indeed a God that judgeth them on the earth.
so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”
