Psalms 58
1 “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?
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 Even in [your] heart ye work injustice: on the earth do ye weigh out the violence of your hands.
No, in your hearts you devise injustice; with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged [from goodness] from the womb: those who speak lies go astray from their very birth.
The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth.
4 They have poison like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears,
5 Which will not hearken to the voice of conjurers, yea, that of the wisest of all charmers.
refusing to hear the tune of the charmer who skillfully weaves his spell.
6 O God, break out their teeth in their mouth: the jaw-teeth of the young lions tear thou out, O Lord.
O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.
7 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.
May they vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, may their arrows be blunted.
8 As a snail which melteth, let him pass away; like the untimely birth of a woman which hath not seen the sun.
Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, will he take them away with a whirlwind, both the green and the burning.
Before your pots can feel the burning thorns— whether green or dry— He will sweep them away.
10 The righteous will rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he will bathe his steps 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 So that a man shall say, Verily fruit will come for the righteous: verily there is a God that judgeth on the earth.
Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
