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Psalm 58

Do You Rulers Speak Justly?

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For the choir director. “Do Not Destroy.”[a] By David. A miktam.

Unjust Rulers

Do you “gods” really speak righteously?[b]
Do you sons of Adam judge rightly?
No, in your heart you commit injustices.
On the earth your hands distribute violence.
The wicked go off course already from the womb.
From the belly they go astray. They speak lies.
Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like a deaf cobra that has stopped its ears,
that will not listen to the sound of the charmers,
however skillful the spellbinder may be.

The Curse on Unjust Rulers

O God, break their teeth in their mouths.
Tear out the fangs of the young lions, Lord!
Let them vanish like water that flows away.
When he draws his bow, let his arrows be cut off.[c]
As a slug melts away as it crawls along, so let him disappear.
Like a stillborn child may they not see the sun.
Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
whether the thorns are green or dry—they will be swept away.[d]

The Joy of the Righteous

10 The righteous one will be glad when he sees vengeance.
He will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then people will say, “Surely there is fruit for the righteous.
Surely there is a God judging on the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 58:1 This may be the name of the tune.
  2. Psalm 58:1 This translation follows a correction of the text followed by most modern versions. The Hebrew and Greek read: Do you really speak justice in silence?
  3. Psalm 58:7 The text and its meaning are uncertain. Literally it seems to read: he treads his arrows like they are cut off/dry up.
  4. Psalm 58:9 The meaning is uncertain. Literally it seems to read: like living, like burning anger he will sweep it away.

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.