Psalm 58
Lexham English Bible
Judgment on the Wicked
For the music director, according to Do not Destroy.
Of David. A miktam.[a]
58 Do you really speak what is right when silent?[b]
Do you judge fairly the children of humankind?[c]
2 No, in your heart you plan injustices;
in the land[d] you weigh out the violence of your hands.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb.
They go astray from the belly, speaking lies.
4 Their venom is like snake venom;
They are like a deaf viper that closes its ear
5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers
or the skilled caster of spells.
6 O God, break their teeth in their mouth.
Break off the fangs of the young lions, O Yahweh.
7 Let them run away like water that runs off.
When he bends the bow, let his arrows be as though they were cut off.[e]
8 Let them be like a snail that melts away as it goes;
like the stillborn of woman that do not see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of a thornbush,
whether green or dry,[f] he will sweep it away.[g]
10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And people[h] will say, “Surely there is a reward[i] for the righteous.
Surely there is a God who judges in the land.”[j]
Footnotes
- Psalm 58:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
- Psalm 58:1 A slight emendation of the Hebrew text yields “what is right, O gods,” or “O mighty ones”
- Psalm 58:1 Or “Do you judge fairly, O sons of humankind?”
- Psalm 58:2 Or “on the earth”
- Psalm 58:7 Or “as though they were withered stalks”
- Psalm 58:9 Literally “burning”
- Psalm 58:9 The Hebrew of this verse is difficult to interpret
- Psalm 58:11 Hebrew “a person”
- Psalm 58:11 Literally “fruit”
- Psalm 58:11 Or “on the earth”
Psalm 58
New King James Version
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?
2 No, in heart you work wickedness;
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 (A)The wicked are estranged from the womb;
They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
4 (B)Their poison is like the poison of a serpent;
They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear,
5 Which will not (C)heed the voice of charmers,
Charming ever so skillfully.
6 (D)Break[b] their teeth in their mouth, O God!
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
7 (E)Let them flow away as waters which run continually;
When he bends his bow,
Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.
8 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.
9 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
- Psalm 58:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
- Psalm 58:6 Break away
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
