Salmos 58

(Til sangmesteren. Al-tasjhet. Af David. En miktam.) Er det virkelig Ret, I taler, I Guder, dømmer I Menneskenes Børn retfærdigt?

Nej, alle øver I Uret på Jord, eders Hænder udvejer Vold.

Fra Moders Liv vanslægted de gudløse, fra Moders Skød for Løgnerne vild.

Gift har de i sig som Slangen, den stumme Øgle, der døver sit Øre

og ikke vil høre på Tæmmerens Røst, på den kyndige Slangebesværger.

Gud, bryd Tænderne i deres Mund, Ungløvernes Kindtænder knuse du, HERRE;

lad dem svinde som Vand, der synker, visne som nedtrampet Græs.

Lad dem blive som Sneglen, opløst i Slim som et ufuldbårent Foster, der aldrig så Sol.

Før eders Gryder mærker til Tjørnen, ja, midt i deres Livskraft river han dem bort i sin Vrede

Den retfærdige glæder sig, når han ser Hævn, hans Fødder skal vade i gudløses Blod;

[To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David.] Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? {Altaschith...: or, Destroy not} {Michtam: or, A golden Psalm}

Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.

The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. {as soon...: Heb. from the belly}

Their poison {is} like the poison of a serpent: {they are} like the deaf adder {that} stoppeth her ear; {like the poison: Heb. according to the likeness, etc} {adder: or, asp}

Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. {charming...: or, be the charmer never so cunning}

Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.

Let them melt away as waters {which} run continually: {when} he bendeth {his bow to shoot} his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

As a snail {which} melteth, let {every one of them} pass away: {like} the untimely birth of a woman, {that} they may not see the sun.

Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in {his} wrath. {both...: Heb. as living as wrath}

The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

So that a man shall say, Verily {there is} a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. {a reward...: Heb. fruit of the, etc}