Psalms 58

1 For the leader. Al tashheth. Of David. A michtam. Do you speak what is right, you gods? With equity judge you your people?

To him that excelleth. Destroy not. A Psalme of David on Michtam. Is it true? O Congregation, speake ye iustly? O sonnes of men, iudge ye vprightly?

2 In the land you practise iniquity – all of you; violence do you dispense with your hands.

Yea, rather ye imagine mischiefe in your heart: your hands execute crueltie vpon the earth.

3 The wicked go astray from the womb liars take the wrong path from their birth.

The wicked are strangers from ye wombe: euen from the belly haue they erred, and speake lyes.

4 Venom have they like the venom of snakes, they are like the deaf adder that stops her ears,

Their poyson is euen like the poyson of a serpent: like ye deafe adder that stoppeth his eare.

5 and refuses to listen to the voice of the charmer, or binder of spells, no matter how cunning.

Which heareth not the voyce of the inchanter, though he be most expert in charming.

6 O God, break to pieces the teeth in their mouth, tear out the great teeth of the young lions, Lord.

Breake their teeth, O God, in their mouthes: breake the iawes of the yong lions, O Lord.

7 May they melt away like running water! Like tender grass, cut down may they be!

Let them melt like the waters, let them passe away: when hee shooteth his arrowes, let them be as broken.

8 Like the snail that dissolves on its crawling path, like the birth untimely which sees not the sunlight.

Let them consume like a snayle that melteth, and like the vntimely fruite of a woman, that hath not seene the sunne.

9 Faster than a thorn-fire heats your pots, he will come with his tempest and sweep them away.

As raw flesh before your pots feele the fire of thornes: so let him cary them away as with a whirlewinde in his wrath.

10 The sight of such vengeance will gladden the righteous; their feet they will wash in the blood of the wicked.

The righteous shall reioyce when he seeeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feete in the blood of the wicked.

11 People will say, ‘Yes, the just are rewarded: yes, on the earth is a God who is Judge.’

And men shall say, Verily there is fruite for the righteous: doutlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth.