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?

Unto the end. May you not destroy. Of David, with the inscription of a title. If, truly and certainly, you speak justice, then judge what is right, you sons of men.

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

For, even in your heart, you work iniquity. Your hands construct injustice on the earth.

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

Sinners have become foreigners from the womb; they have gone astray from conception. They have been speaking falsehoods.

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

Their fury is similar to that of a serpent; it is like a deaf asp, who even blocks her ears,

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

who will not listen to the voice of charmers, nor even to the enchanter who chants wisely.

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

God will crush their teeth within their own mouth. The Lord will break the molars of the lions.

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

They will come to nothing, like water flowing away. He has aimed his bow, while they are being weakened.

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

Like wax that flows, they will be carried away. Fire has fallen upon them, and they will not see the sun.

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

Before your thorns could know the brier, he consumes them alive, as if in rage.

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

The just one will rejoice when he sees vindication. He will wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.

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.”

And man will say, “If the just one is fruitful, then, truly, there is a God judging them on earth.”