Psalms 58
1 To him that excelleth. Destroy not. A Psalme of David on Michtam. Is it true? O Congregation, speake ye iustly? O sonnes of men, iudge ye vprightly?
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
2 Yea, rather ye imagine mischiefe in your heart: your hands execute crueltie vpon the earth.
No, in your hearts you devise injustice; with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.
3 The wicked are strangers from ye wombe: euen from the belly haue they erred, and speake lyes.
The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth.
4 Their poyson is euen like the poyson of a serpent: like ye deafe adder that stoppeth his eare.
Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears,
5 Which heareth not the voyce of the inchanter, though he be most expert in charming.
refusing to hear the tune of the charmer who skillfully weaves his spell.
6 Breake their teeth, O God, in their mouthes: breake the iawes of the yong lions, O Lord.
O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.
7 Let them melt like the waters, let them passe away: when hee shooteth his arrowes, let them be as broken.
May they vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, may their arrows be blunted.
8 Let them consume like a snayle that melteth, and like the vntimely fruite of a woman, that hath not seene the sunne.
Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun.
9 As raw flesh before your pots feele the fire of thornes: so let him cary them away as with a whirlewinde in his wrath.
Before your pots can feel the burning thorns— whether green or dry— He will sweep them away.
10 The righteous shall reioyce when he seeeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feete in the blood of the wicked.
The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And men shall say, Verily there is fruite for the righteous: doutlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth.
Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
