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Psalm 58
Hoffnung für Alle
Psalm 58
Hoffnung für Alle
Wer das Recht bricht, wird selbst zerbrochen
58 Ein Lied von David, nach der Melodie: »Richte nicht zugrunde«.
2 Ihr Mächtigen[a], trefft ihr wirklich gerechte Entscheidungen?
Gilt noch gleiches Recht für alle, wenn ihr eure Urteile fällt?
3 Nein! Schon eure Gedanken sind von Ungerechtigkeit verseucht,
mit Willkür und Gewalt versklavt ihr das Land.
4 Diese Rechtsbrecher sind von Geburt an verlogen und verdorben,
5 wie eine Viper voll von tödlichem Gift.
Doch wenn es darauf ankommt, sich etwas sagen zu lassen,
dann verschließen sie ihre Ohren,
6 sie stellen sich taub wie eine Schlange,
bei der jede Kunst des Beschwörers versagt.
7 O Gott, schlage ihnen die Zähne aus!
Zerbrich diesen Löwen das Gebiss, Herr!
8 Lass diese Mächtigen verschwinden wie Wasser,
das im Boden versickert!
Wenn sie ihre Pfeile abschießen wollen,
dann sorge dafür, dass sie wirkungslos abprallen!
9 Diesen Leuten soll es ergehen wie Schnecken in sengender Hitze!
Wie eine Fehlgeburt sollen sie das Licht der Sonne nicht sehen!
10 Weg mit ihnen! Gott soll sie davonjagen,
noch bevor sie ihre hinterhältigen Pläne verwirklichen.[b]
11 Ja, Gott wird mit ihnen abrechnen!
Wer ihm die Treue hält, wird sich darüber freuen
und im Blut der Rechtsbrecher waten.
12 Dann werden die Menschen bekennen:
Wer Gott gehorcht, wird doch belohnt;
es gibt tatsächlich einen Gott,
der auf dieser Erde dem Recht zum Sieg verhilft!
Psalm 58
King James Version
Psalm 58
King James Version
58 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 58
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 58[a]
The Judge of Unjust Rulers
1 For the director.[b] According to “Do not destroy.” A miktam of David.
2 O you rulers,[c] do you render justice?
Do you judge your people impartially?
3 No! You devise wickedness in your hearts,[d]
and your hands bring about violence on the earth.
4 The wicked have gone astray right from the womb;
from birth these liars have taken the wrong path.[e]
5 Their venom is like that of a serpent;
they are as deaf as an asp that stops its ears
6 so as not to hear the voice of the charmer
no matter how skillful the spells he casts.[f]
7 O God, break the teeth in their mouths;
tear out the fangs of these lions, O Lord.[g]
8 [h]Cause them to vanish like water that drains off;
make them wither like grass that is trampled.[i]
9 Let them melt like a snail[j] that oozes into slime
or like a stillborn child that will never see the sun.
10 Before they sprout thorns[k] like brambles or thistles,
may your whirlwind sweep them away.
11 The righteous will rejoice
when he sees that justice has been done,
and he will bathe his feet
in the blood[l] of the wicked.
12 Then the people will say,
“There is truly a reward for the righteous;
there is a God who dispenses justice on the earth.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 58:1 This is one of the so-called imprecatory (or cursing) psalms (see note on Ps 35) that call upon God to mete out justice to enemies. In their thirst for justice, the authors of these psalms use hyperbole (or overstatement) in order to move others to oppose sin and evil. Such impassioned expressions may seem vengeful to a Western audience not used to the diatribes and curses of Easterners. And the joy exhibited over the justice to be meted out seems ferocious to us. However, we must realize above all that the psalmists were desiring only true justice, a justice that could not be derailed, denied, or mocked—because it was God’s justice.
The psalmist and all Israel regard judges as well as rulers to be divine beings (see Pss 45:7; 82:6; Ex 21:6; Deut 19:17), for judging, like ruling, is a power of God. This psalm wars against those who pervert such a divine power.
The early Church applied this psalm to the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin (see Mt 26:57-68 par). - Psalm 58:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. According to “Do not destroy”: see note on Ps 57:1. Miktam: see note on Ps 16:1.
- Psalm 58:2 Rulers: literally, “gods”: see introduction.
- Psalm 58:3 Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
- Psalm 58:4 The evil ways of the wicked (see Ps 10) are theirs from birth.
- Psalm 58:6 The roles of charmers and enchanters are frequently alluded to in the Old Testament (see Deut 18:11; Eccl 10:11; Isa 3:3; Jer 8:17).
- Psalm 58:7 The psalmist regards teeth as weapons of the mouths by which the wicked harass the righteous (see Ps 57:5), so he begs God to destroy them.
- Psalm 58:8 See notes on Pss 58; 35.
- Psalm 58:8 Make them wither like grass that is trampled: the meaning of the Hebrew is unclear. Another translation likens the psalmist’s foes to archers who shoot blunted arrows. “When they ready the bow, let their arrows be blunted.”
- Psalm 58:9 Snail: the ancients believed that snails dried up in the sun and evaporated.
- Psalm 58:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain. Another translation given is: “Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns— / whether they be green or dry— / the wicked will be swept away.” This accords with the fact that twigs from wild bushes (thorns) were used to start quick fires for cooking (see Ps 118:12; Eccl 7:6).
- Psalm 58:11 Bathe his feet in the blood: a vivid expression indicating complete victory over one’s foes that was common in the Near East (see Ps 68:24; Isa 63:1-6).
Psalm 58
New International Version
Psalm 58
New International Version
Psalm 58[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b]
1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?(A)
Do you judge people with equity?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,(B)
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.(C)
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,(D)
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed(E) the tune of the charmer,(F)
however skillful the enchanter may be.
6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;(G)
Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!(H)
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;(I)
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.(J)
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,(K)
like a stillborn child(L) that never sees the sun.
9 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
- Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
- Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Psalm 58
New Century Version
Psalm 58
New Century Version
Unfair Judges
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A miktam of David.
58 Do you rulers really say what is right?
Do you judge people fairly?
2 No, in your heart you plan evil;
you think up violent crimes in the land.
3 From birth, evil people turn away from God;
they wander off and tell lies as soon as they are born.
4 They are like poisonous snakes,
like deaf cobras that stop up their ears
5 so they cannot hear the music of the snake charmer
no matter how well he plays.
6 God, break the teeth in their mouths!
Tear out the fangs of those lions, Lord!
7 Let them disappear like water that flows away.
Let them be cut short like a broken arrow.
8 Let them be like snails that melt as they move.
Let them be like a child born dead who never saw the sun.
9 His anger will blow them away alive
faster than burning thorns can heat a pot.
10 Good people will be glad when they see him get even.
They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then people will say,
“There really are rewards for doing what is right.
There really is a God who judges the world.”
Hoffnung für Alle (HOF)
Hoffnung für Alle® (Hope for All) Copyright © 1983, 1996, 2002 by Biblica, Inc.®
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New Century Version (NCV) 
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.