Psalms 58

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[1]David reproving wicked judges, [3]describeth the nature of the wicked, [6]and devoteth them to God's judgments, [10]whereat the righteous shall rejoice.

To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David.

1. Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?

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

3. The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be 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 will not hearken 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 LORD.

7. 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.

8. 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.

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

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

11. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David. Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? 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. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. 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. 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.

NKJV

1. Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?
Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?

2. No, in heart you work wickedness;
You 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 cobra that stops its ear,

5. Which will not heed the voice of charmers,
Charming ever so skillfully.

6. Break their teeth in their mouth, O God!
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!

7. Let them flow away as waters which run continually;
When he bends his bow,
Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.

8. Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes,
Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

9. Before your pots can feel the burning thorns,
He shall take them away as with a whirlwind,
As in His living and burning wrath.

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

11. So that men will say,
“Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who judges in the earth.”

Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?
Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men? No, in heart you work wickedness;
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth. The wicked are estranged from the womb;
They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent;
They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear, Which will not heed the voice of charmers,
Charming ever so skillfully. Break their teeth in their mouth, O God!
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord! Let them flow away as waters which run continually;
When he bends his bow,
Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces. Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes,
Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun. Before your pots can feel the burning thorns,
He shall take them away as with a whirlwind,
As in His living and burning wrath. The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, So that men will say,
“Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who judges in the earth.”

Metrical version

Psalm 58

C.M. Evan

Do ye, O congregation,
indeed speak righteousness?
O ye that are the sons of men,
judge ye with uprightness?

Yea, ev'n within your very hearts
ye wickedness have done;
And ye the vi'lence of your hands
do weigh the earth upon.

The wicked men estranged are,
ev'n from the very womb;
They, speaking lies, do stray as soon
as to the world they come.

Unto a serpent's poison like
their poison doth appear;
Yea, they are like the adder deaf,
that closely stops her ear;

That so she may not hear the voice
of one that charm her would,
No, not though he most cunning were,
and charm most wisely could.

Their teeth, O God, within their mouth
break thou in pieces small;
The great teeth break thou out, O LORD,
of these young lions all.

Let them like waters melt away,
which downward still do flow:
In pieces cut his arrows all,
when he shall bend his bow.

Like to a snail that melts away,
let each of them be gone;
Like woman's birth untimely, that
they never see the sun.

He shall them take away before
your pots the thorns can find,
Both living, and in fury great,
as with a stormy wind.

The righteous, when he vengeance sees,
he shall be joyful then;
The righteous one shall wash his feet
in blood of wicked men.

So men shall say, The righteous man
reward shall never miss:
And verily upon the earth
a God to judge there is.