Psalms 58

1 For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

For the music director. According to “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm (miktam) of David. You leaders, do you really say what is right? Do you judge people fairly?

2 No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

No, for in your minds you plan evil. You cause violence everywhere!

3 The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

The wicked are sinners from birth; from the moment they're born they tell lies.

4 Their poison is like the poison of a snake, like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

They have venom like that of a poisonous snake, and just like a cobra they stop listening,

5 which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

refusing to hear the voice of the snake charmers or the spellbinders.

6 Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh.

God, break their teeth, and smash the jaws of these lions, Lord.

7 Let them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

May they vanish like water that flows away; when they shoot their arrows may they miss their mark.

8 Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

May they be like the slime of snails that dissolves away, like a stillborn child that never saw the light of day.

9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

Before the cooking pot is hot from burning thorns, whether fresh or dry, God will blow them away.

10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,

Those who live right will be happy when they see there is punishment; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.

11 so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”

They will say, “There is definitely a reward for those who live right; there is certainly a God who judges fairly on earth.”