Psalms 58

To the chief Musician. ‘Destroy not.’ Of David. Michtam.

1 Is righteousness indeed silent? Do ye speak it? Do ye judge with equity, ye sons of men? 2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth. 3 The wicked go astray from the womb; they err as soon as they are born, speaking lies. 4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear; 5 Which doth not hearken to the voice of enchanters, of one charming ever so wisely.

6 O God*GodHebrew: Elohim break their teeth in their mouth; break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah. 7 Let them melt away as waters that flow off; when he aimeth his arrows, let them be as blunted: 8 Let them be as a snail that melteth as it passeth away; like the untimely birth of a woman, let them not see the sun. 9 Before your pots feel the thorns, green or burning, — they shall be whirled away. 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the wicked: 11 And men shall say, Verily there is fruit for the righteous; verily there is a God*GodHebrew: Elohim that judgeth in the earth.

For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David. Michtam.

1 Do ye indeed in silence speak righteousness?

Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?

2 Nay, in heart ye work wickedness;

Ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb:

They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent:

They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear,

5 Which hearkeneth not to the voice of charmers,

Charming never so wisely.

6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth:

Break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah.

7 Let them melt away as water that runneth apace:

When he aimeth his arrows, let them be as though they were cut off.

8 Let them be as a snail which melteth and passeth away,

Like the untimely birth of a woman, that hath not seen the sun.

9 Before your pots can feel the thorns,

He will take them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.

10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance:

He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;

11 So that men shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous:

Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.