Psalm 58–59

PSALM 58

Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked.

For the choir director; set to †Al-tashheth. A •Mikhtam of David.

1 Do you indeed 1speak righteousness, O 2gods?

Do you ajudge 3uprightly, O sons of men?

2 No, in heart you awork unrighteousness;

On earth you bweigh out the violence of your hands.

3 The wicked are estranged afrom the womb;

These who speak lies bgo astray from 1birth.

4 They have venom like the avenom of a serpent;

Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,

5 So that it adoes not hear the voice of 1bcharmers,

Or a skillful caster of spells.

6 O God, ashatter their teeth in their mouth;

Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.

7 Let them aflow away like water that runs off;

When he 1baims his arrows, let them be as 2headless shafts.

8 Let them be as a snail which 1melts away as it goes along,

Like the amiscarriages of a woman which never see the sun.

9 Before your apots can feel the fire of thorns

He will bsweep them away with a whirlwind, the 1green and the burning alike.

10 The arighteous will rejoice when he bsees the vengeance;

He will cwash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

11 And men will say, “Surely there is a 1areward for the righteous;

Surely there is a God who bjudges 2on earth!”

PSALM 59

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies.

For the choir director; set to †Al-tashheth. A •Mikhtam of David, ^when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.

1 aDeliver me from my enemies, O my God;

1bSet me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.

2 Deliver me from athose who do iniquity

And save me from bmen of bloodshed.

3 For behold, they ahave 1set an ambush for my 2life;

3Fierce men 4alaunch an attack against me,

bNot for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord,

4 1aFor no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.

bArouse Yourself to 2help me, and see!

5 You, aO Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,

Awake to 1bpunish all the nations;

cDo not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity.

2Selah.

6 They areturn at evening, they howl like a bdog,

And go around the city.

7 Behold, they abelch forth with their mouth;

bSwords are in their lips,

For, they say, “cWho hears?”

8 But You, O Lord, alaugh at them;

You bscoff at all the nations.

9 Because of 1his astrength I will watch for You,

For God is my bstronghold.

10 1My God ain His lovingkindness will meet me;

God will let me blook triumphantly upon 2my foes.

11 Do not slay them, aor my people will forget;

1bScatter them by Your power, and bring them down,

O Lord, cour shield.

12 1On account of the asin of their mouth and the words of their lips,

Let them even be bcaught in their pride,

And on account of ccurses and 2lies which they utter.

13 1aDestroy them in wrath, 1destroy them that they may be no more;

That men may bknow that God 2rules in Jacob

To the ends of the earth.

Selah.

14 They areturn at evening, they howl like a dog,

And go around the city.

15 They awander about 1for food

And 2growl if they are not satisfied.

16 But as for me, I shall asing of Your strength;

Yes, I shall bjoyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the cmorning,

For You have been my dstronghold

And a erefuge in the day of my distress.

17 aO my strength, I will sing praises to You;

For God is my bstronghold, the 1God who shows me lovingkindness.