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.”

The Assured Judgment of the Wicked

To the Chief Musician. Set to [c]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David (M)when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.

59 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
[d]Defend me from those who rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.

For look, they lie in wait for my life;
(N)The mighty gather against me,
Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.
They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine.

(O)Awake to help me, and behold!
You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Awake to punish all the [e]nations;
Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah

(P)At evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
Indeed, they belch with their mouth;
(Q)Swords are in their lips;
For they say, (R)“Who hears?”

But (S)You, O Lord, shall laugh at them;
You shall have all the [f]nations in derision.
I will wait for You, O You [g]his Strength;
(T)For God is my [h]defense.
10 [i]My God of mercy shall (U)come to meet me;
God shall let (V)me see my desire on my enemies.

11 Do not slay them, lest my people forget;
Scatter them by Your power,
And bring them down,
O Lord our shield.
12 (W)For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,
Let them even be taken in their pride,
And for the cursing and lying which they speak.
13 (X)Consume them in wrath, consume them,
That they may not be;
And (Y)let them know that God rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. Selah

14 And (Z)at evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
15 They (AA)wander up and down for food,
And [j]howl if they are not satisfied.

16 But I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;
For You have been my defense
And refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 To You, (AB)O my Strength, I will sing praises;
For God is my defense,
My God of mercy.

Urgent Prayer for the Restored Favor of God(AC)

To the Chief Musician. (AD)Set to [k]“Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. (AE)When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

60 O God, (AF)You have cast us off;
You have broken us down;
You have been displeased;
Oh, restore us again!
You have made the earth tremble;
You have broken it;
(AG)Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.
(AH)You have shown Your people hard things;
(AI)You have made us drink the wine of [l]confusion.

(AJ)You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah
(AK)That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

God has (AL)spoken in His holiness:
“I will rejoice;
I will (AM)divide (AN)Shechem
And measure out (AO)the Valley of Succoth.
Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
(AP)Ephraim also is the [m]helmet for My head;
(AQ)Judah is My lawgiver.
(AR)Moab is My washpot;
(AS)Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
(AT)Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”

Who will bring me to the strong city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not You, O God, (AU)who cast us off?
And You, O God, who did (AV)not go out with our armies?
11 Give us help from trouble,
(AW)For the help of man is useless.
12 Through God (AX)we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.

Assurance of God’s Eternal Protection

To the Chief Musician. On [n]a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.

61 Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter for me,
(AY)A strong tower from the enemy.
I will abide in Your [o]tabernacle forever;
(AZ)I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

For You, O God, have heard my vows;
You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.
You will prolong the king’s life,
His years as many generations.
He shall abide before God forever.
Oh, prepare mercy (BA)and truth, which may [p]preserve him!

So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
That I may daily perform my vows.

A Calm Resolve to Wait for the Salvation of God

To the Chief Musician. To (BB)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

62 Truly (BC)my soul silently waits for God;
From Him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my [q]defense;
I shall not be greatly (BD)moved.[r]

How long will you attack a man?
You shall be slain, all of you,
(BE)Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
They only consult to cast him down from his high position;
They (BF)delight in lies;
They bless with their mouth,
But they curse inwardly. Selah

My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my [s]expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be [t]moved.
(BG)In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;
(BH)Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah

(BI)Surely men of low degree are [u]a vapor,
Men of high degree are a lie;
If they are weighed on the scales,
They are altogether lighter than vapor.
10 Do not trust in oppression,
Nor vainly hope in robbery;
(BJ)If riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.

11 God has spoken once,
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God.
12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;
For (BK)You [v]render to each one according to his work.

Joy in the Fellowship of God

A Psalm of David (BL)when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

63 O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
(BM)My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see (BN)Your power and Your glory.

(BO)Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will (BP)lift up my hands in Your name.
My soul shall be satisfied as with [w]marrow and [x]fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

When (BQ)I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek my life, to destroy it,
Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
10 They shall [y]fall by the sword;
They shall be [z]a portion for jackals.

11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
(BR)Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;
But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Oppressed by the Wicked but Rejoicing in the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

64 Hear my voice, O God, in my [aa]meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
(BS)And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,
That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

They encourage themselves in an evil matter;
They talk of laying snares secretly;
(BT)They say, “Who will see them?”
They devise iniquities:
“We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”
Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.

But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;
Suddenly they shall be wounded.
So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;
(BU)All who see them shall flee away.
All men shall fear,
And shall (BV)declare the work of God;
For they shall wisely consider His doing.

10 (BW)The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him.
And all the upright in heart shall glory.

Praise to God for His Salvation and Providence

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.

65 Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;
And to You the [ab]vow shall be performed.
O You who hear prayer,
(BX)To You all flesh will come.
Iniquities prevail against me;
As for our transgressions,
You will (BY)provide atonement for them.

(BZ)Blessed is the man You (CA)choose,
And cause to approach You,
That he may dwell in Your courts.
(CB)We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Of Your holy temple.

By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us,
O God of our salvation,
You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of the far-off seas;
Who established the mountains by His strength,
(CC)Being clothed with power;
(CD)You who still the noise of the seas,
The noise of their waves,
(CE)And the tumult of the peoples.
They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs;
You make the outgoings of the morning and evening [ac]rejoice.

You [ad]visit the earth and (CF)water it,
You greatly enrich it;
(CG)The river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain,
For so You have prepared it.
10 You water its ridges abundantly,
You settle its furrows;
You make it soft with showers,
You bless its growth.

11 You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance.
12 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,
And the little hills rejoice on every side.
13 The pastures are clothed with flocks;
(CH)The valleys also are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, they also sing.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 58:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
  2. Psalm 58:6 Break away
  3. Psalm 59:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
  4. Psalm 59:1 Lit. Set me on high
  5. Psalm 59:5 Gentiles
  6. Psalm 59:8 Gentiles
  7. Psalm 59:9 So with MT, Syr.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Tg., Vg. my Strength
  8. Psalm 59:9 Lit. fortress
  9. Psalm 59:10 So with Qr.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Vg. My God, His mercy; Kt., some Heb. mss., Tg. O God, my mercy; Syr. O God, Your mercy
  10. Psalm 59:15 So with LXX, Vg.; MT, Syr., Tg. spend the night
  11. Psalm 60:1 Heb. Shushan Eduth
  12. Psalm 60:3 staggering
  13. Psalm 60:7 Lit. protection
  14. Psalm 61:1 Heb. neginah
  15. Psalm 61:4 tent
  16. Psalm 61:7 Lit. guard or keep
  17. Psalm 62:2 strong tower
  18. Psalm 62:2 shaken
  19. Psalm 62:5 hope
  20. Psalm 62:6 shaken
  21. Psalm 62:9 vanity
  22. Psalm 62:12 reward
  23. Psalm 63:5 Lit. fat
  24. Psalm 63:5 Abundance
  25. Psalm 63:10 Lit. pour him out by the hand of the sword
  26. Psalm 63:10 Prey
  27. Psalm 64:1 complaint
  28. Psalm 65:1 A promised deed
  29. Psalm 65:8 shout for joy
  30. Psalm 65:9 give attention to

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)

Psalm 59[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[e] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house(T) in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O God;(U)
    be my fortress against those who are attacking me.(V)
Deliver me from evildoers(W)
    and save me from those who are after my blood.(X)

See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire(Y) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
I have done no wrong,(Z) yet they are ready to attack me.(AA)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!(AB)
You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,(AC)
rouse yourself(AD) to punish all the nations;(AE)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.[f](AF)

They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,(AG)
    and prowl about the city.
See what they spew from their mouths(AH)
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,(AI)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”(AJ)
But you laugh at them, Lord;(AK)
    you scoff at all those nations.(AL)

You are my strength,(AM) I watch for you;
    you, God, are my fortress,(AN)
10     my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[g](AO)
    or my people will forget.(AP)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.(AQ)
12 For the sins of their mouths,(AR)
    for the words of their lips,(AS)
    let them be caught in their pride.(AT)
For the curses and lies they utter,
13     consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.(AU)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.(AV)

14 They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food(AW)
    and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing(AX) of your strength,(AY)
    in the morning(AZ) I will sing of your love;(BA)
for you are my fortress,(BB)
    my refuge in times of trouble.(BC)

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
    you, God, are my fortress,
    my God on whom I can rely.(BD)

Psalm 60[h](BE)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam[i] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim[j] and Aram Zobah,[k] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.(BF)

You have rejected us,(BG) God, and burst upon us;
    you have been angry(BH)—now restore us!(BI)
You have shaken the land(BJ) and torn it open;
    mend its fractures,(BK) for it is quaking.
You have shown your people desperate times;(BL)
    you have given us wine that makes us stagger.(BM)
But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner(BN)
    to be unfurled against the bow.[l]

Save us and help us with your right hand,(BO)
    that those you love(BP) may be delivered.
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem(BQ)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.(BR)
Gilead(BS) is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim(BT) is my helmet,
    Judah(BU) is my scepter.(BV)
Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.(BW)

Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?(BX)
11 Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.(BY)
12 With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.(BZ)

Psalm 61[m]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

Hear my cry, O God;(CA)
    listen to my prayer.(CB)

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;(CC)
    lead me to the rock(CD) that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,(CE)
    a strong tower against the foe.(CF)

I long to dwell(CG) in your tent forever
    and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.[n](CH)
For you, God, have heard my vows;(CI)
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.(CJ)

Increase the days of the king’s life,(CK)
    his years for many generations.(CL)
May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever;(CM)
    appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.(CN)

Then I will ever sing in praise of your name(CO)
    and fulfill my vows day after day.(CP)

Psalm 62[o]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

Truly my soul finds rest(CQ) in God;(CR)
    my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock(CS) and my salvation;(CT)
    he is my fortress,(CU) I will never be shaken.(CV)

How long will you assault me?
    Would all of you throw me down—
    this leaning wall,(CW) this tottering fence?
Surely they intend to topple me
    from my lofty place;
    they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
    but in their hearts they curse.[p](CX)

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;(CY)
    my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God[q];
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.(CZ)
Trust in him at all times, you people;(DA)
    pour out your hearts to him,(DB)
    for God is our refuge.

Surely the lowborn(DC) are but a breath,(DD)
    the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance,(DE) they are nothing;
    together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion(DF)
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;(DG)
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them.(DH)

11 One thing God has spoken,
    two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,(DI)
12     and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;(DJ)
and, “You reward everyone
    according to what they have done.”(DK)

Psalm 63[r]

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,(DL)
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.(DM)

I have seen you in the sanctuary(DN)
    and beheld your power and your glory.(DO)
Because your love is better than life,(DP)
    my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,(DQ)
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.(DR)
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;(DS)
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.(DT)
Because you are my help,(DU)
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.(DV)
I cling to you;(DW)
    your right hand upholds me.(DX)

Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;(DY)
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.(DZ)
10 They will be given over to the sword(EA)
    and become food for jackals.(EB)

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in him,(EC)
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.(ED)

Psalm 64[s]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;(EE)
    protect my life from the threat of the enemy.(EF)

Hide me from the conspiracy(EG) of the wicked,(EH)
    from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords(EI)
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.(EJ)
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;(EK)
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.(EL)

They encourage each other in evil plans,
    they talk about hiding their snares;(EM)
    they say, “Who will see it[t]?”(EN)
They plot injustice and say,
    “We have devised a perfect plan!”
    Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;
    they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them(EO)
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads(EP) in scorn.(EQ)
All people will fear;(ER)
    they will proclaim the works of God
    and ponder what he has done.(ES)

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord(ET)
    and take refuge in him;(EU)
    all the upright in heart will glory in him!(EV)

Psalm 65[u]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.

Praise awaits[v] you, our God, in Zion;(EW)
    to you our vows will be fulfilled.(EX)
You who answer prayer,
    to you all people will come.(EY)
When we were overwhelmed by sins,(EZ)
    you forgave[w] our transgressions.(FA)
Blessed are those you choose(FB)
    and bring near(FC) to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,(FD)
    of your holy temple.

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,(FE)
    God our Savior,(FF)
the hope of all the ends of the earth(FG)
    and of the farthest seas,(FH)
who formed the mountains(FI) by your power,
    having armed yourself with strength,(FJ)
who stilled the roaring of the seas,(FK)
    the roaring of their waves,
    and the turmoil of the nations.(FL)
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
    where morning dawns, where evening fades,
    you call forth songs of joy.(FM)

You care for the land and water it;(FN)
    you enrich it abundantly.(FO)
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,(FP)
    for so you have ordained it.[x]
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers(FQ) and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,(FR)
    and your carts overflow with abundance.(FS)
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;(FT)
    the hills are clothed with gladness.(FU)
13 The meadows are covered with flocks(FV)
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;(FW)
    they shout for joy and sing.(FX)

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.
  4. Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
  5. Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  6. Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
  7. Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign
  8. Psalm 60:1 In Hebrew texts 60:1-12 is numbered 60:3-14.
  9. Psalm 60:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  10. Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of Northwest Mesopotamia
  11. Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of central Syria
  12. Psalm 60:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  13. Psalm 61:1 In Hebrew texts 61:1-8 is numbered 61:2-9.
  14. Psalm 61:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  15. Psalm 62:1 In Hebrew texts 62:1-12 is numbered 62:2-13.
  16. Psalm 62:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
  17. Psalm 62:7 Or / God Most High is my salvation and my honor
  18. Psalm 63:1 In Hebrew texts 63:1-11 is numbered 63:2-12.
  19. Psalm 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1-10 is numbered 64:2-11.
  20. Psalm 64:5 Or us
  21. Psalm 65:1 In Hebrew texts 65:1-13 is numbered 65:2-14.
  22. Psalm 65:1 Or befits; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  23. Psalm 65:3 Or made atonement for
  24. Psalm 65:9 Or for that is how you prepare the land