Psalm 58

To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David.

1Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?footnote afootnote b

2Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.

3The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.footnote c

4Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;footnote dfootnote e

5Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.footnote f

6Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.

7Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

8As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

9Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.footnote g

10The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

11So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.footnote h

God Judges the Earth

For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David.

1Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers?Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men? 2No, in your hearts you devise injustice;with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.

3The wicked are estranged from the womb;the liars go astray from birth. 4Their venom is like the venom of a snake,like a cobra that shuts its ears, 5refusing to hear the tune of the charmerwho skillfully weaves his spell.

6O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths;O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions. 7May they vanishlike water that runs off;when they draw the bow,may their arrows be blunted.footnote a 8Like a slug that dissolves in its slime,like a woman’s stillborn child,may they never see the sun.

9Before your pots can feel the burning thorns—whether green or dry—He will sweep them away. 10The righteous will rejoicewhen they see they are avenged;they will wash their feetin the blood of the wicked. 11Then men will say,“There is surely a reward for the righteous!There is surely a God who judges the earth!”