Psalms 58
1 When you mighty men speak, you never say what is right; you never decide things about people justly [RHQ]!
“For the leader of the music. To the tune of “Do not destroy.” A psalm of David.” Do ye, indeed, administer justice faithfully, ye mighty ones? Do ye judge with uprightness, ye sons of men?
2 No, in your inner beings you think only about doing what is wrong, and you commit violent crimes in this land [of Israel].
Nay, in your hearts ye contrive iniquity; Your hands weigh out violence in the land!
3 Wicked people do wrong things and tell lies from the time that they are born [DOU].
The wicked are estranged, from their very birth; The liars go astray as soon as they are born.
4 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]!
They have poison, like the poison of a serpent; Like the deaf adder's, which stoppeth her ear;
5 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].
Which listeneth not to the voice of the charmer, And of the sorcerer, skilful in incantations.
6 God, as for these enemies who [want to attack me like] young lions, break their teeth!
Break their teeth, O God! in their mouths! Break out the great teeth of the lions, O LORD!
7 Cause them to disappear like water disappears [in dry ground]! Cause the arrows that they shoot to have no (heads/sharp points)!
May they melt like waters, which flow away; May their arrows, when they aim them, be as if cut in pieces!
8 Cause them to become like snails that disappear in the slime; cause them to be like babies that are born dead!
May they be like the snail, which melteth away as it goeth; Like the abortion of a woman, that seeth not the sun!
9 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).
Before your pots feel the heat of the thorns, Whether fresh, or burning, may they be blown away!
10 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.
The righteous shall rejoice, when he seeth such vengeance; He shall bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 [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!”
Then shall men say, “Truly there is a reward for the righteous! Truly there is a God who is judge upon the earth!”
