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There Is a God Who Judges on Earth

For the choir director. [a]Al-tashheth. Of David. A [b]Mikhtam.

58 Do you indeed [c]speak righteousness, O [d]gods?
Do you (A)judge [e]with equity, O sons of men?
No, in heart you (B)work unrighteousness;
On earth you [f](C)prepare a path for the violence of your hands.
The wicked are estranged (D)from the womb;
These who speak falsehood (E)wander in error from [g]birth.
They have venom like the (F)venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
So that it (G)does not hear the voice of [h](H)charmers,
Or a skillful caster of spells.

O God, (I)shatter their teeth in their mouth;
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Yahweh.
Let them (J)flow away like water that runs off;
When he [i](K)aims his arrows, let them be as [j]headless shafts.
Let them be as a snail which [k]melts away as it goes along,
Like the (L)miscarriages of a woman which never behold the sun.
Before your (M)pots can feel the fire of thorns
He will (N)sweep them away with a whirlwind, the living and the burning alike.

10 The (O)righteous will be glad when he (P)beholds the vengeance;
He will (Q)wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And men will say, “Surely there is a [l](R)reward for the righteous;
Surely there is a God who (S)judges [m]on earth!”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 58 Title Lit Do Not Destroy
  2. Psalm 58 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem, Atonement Psalm
  3. Psalm 58:1 Or speak righteousness in silence
  4. Psalm 58:1 Or mighty ones, judges
  5. Psalm 58:1 Or uprightly the sons of men
  6. Psalm 58:2 Lit make level
  7. Psalm 58:3 Lit stomach
  8. Psalm 58:5 Or whisperers
  9. Psalm 58:7 Lit bends
  10. Psalm 58:7 Lit though they were cut off
  11. Psalm 58:8 Secretes slime
  12. Psalm 58:11 Lit fruit
  13. Psalm 58:11 Or in

58 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?

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

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

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

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

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

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

As 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.

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

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

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

Psalm 58[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b]

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?(A)
    Do you judge people with equity?
No, in your heart you devise injustice,(B)
    and your hands mete out violence on the earth.(C)

Even from birth the wicked go astray;
    from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
Their venom is like the venom of a snake,(D)
    like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
that will not heed(E) the tune of the charmer,(F)
    however skillful the enchanter may be.

Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;(G)
    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!(H)
Let them vanish like water that flows away;(I)
    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.(J)
May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,(K)
    like a stillborn child(L) that never sees the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns(M)
    whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[c](N)
10 The righteous will be glad(O) when they are avenged,(P)
    when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.(Q)
11 Then people will say,
    “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;(R)
    surely there is a God who judges the earth.”(S)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
  2. Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

The Just Judgment of the Wicked

To the Chief Musician. Set to [a]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David.

58 Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?
Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
No, in heart you work wickedness;
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

(A)The wicked are estranged from the womb;
They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
(B)Their poison is like the poison of a serpent;
They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear,
Which will not (C)heed the voice of charmers,
Charming ever so skillfully.

(D)Break[b] their teeth in their mouth, O God!
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
(E)Let them flow away as waters which run continually;
When he bends his bow,
Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.
Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes,
(F)Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

Before your (G)pots can feel the burning thorns,
He shall take them away (H)as with a whirlwind,
As in His living and burning wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the (I)vengeance;
(J)He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
11 (K)So that men will say,
“Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who (L)judges in the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 58:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
  2. Psalm 58:6 Break away