Psalms 58
1 For the music director. According to “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm (miktam) of David. You leaders, do you really say what is right? Do you judge people fairly?
“To the chief musician Al-tashcheth, by David, a Michtham.” Do you indeed, who are dumb, speak righteously? do ye judge in uprightness, O ye sons of men?
2 No, for in your minds you plan evil. You cause violence everywhere!
Even in [your] heart ye work injustice: on the earth do ye weigh out the violence of your hands.
3 The wicked are sinners from birth; from the moment they're born they tell lies.
The wicked are estranged [from goodness] from the womb: those who speak lies go astray from their very birth.
4 They have venom like that of a poisonous snake, and just like a cobra they stop listening,
They have poison like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
5 refusing to hear the voice of the snake charmers or the spellbinders.
Which will not hearken to the voice of conjurers, yea, that of the wisest of all charmers.
6 God, break their teeth, and smash the jaws of these lions, Lord.
O God, break out their teeth in their mouth: the jaw-teeth of the young lions tear thou out, O Lord.
7 May they vanish like water that flows away; when they shoot their arrows may they miss their mark.
Let them melt away as water [which] runneth off: when each one bendeth [his bow to shoot] his arrows, let them be as if cut in pieces.
8 May they be like the slime of snails that dissolves away, like a stillborn child that never saw the light of day.
As a snail which melteth, let him pass away; like the untimely birth of a woman which hath not seen the sun.
9 Before the cooking pot is hot from burning thorns, whether fresh or dry, God will blow them away.
Before your pots can feel the thorns, will he take them away with a whirlwind, both the green and the burning.
10 Those who live right will be happy when they see there is punishment; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
The righteous will rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he will bathe his steps in the blood of the wicked.
11 They will say, “There is definitely a reward for those who live right; there is certainly a God who judges fairly on earth.”
So that a man shall say, Verily fruit will come for the righteous: verily there is a God that judgeth on the earth.
