Psalm 58–59

Unfair Judges

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A miktam of David.

58Do you rulers really say what is right?

Do you judge people fairly?

²No, in your heart you plan evil;

you think up violent crimes in the land.

³From birth, evil people turn away from God;

they wander off and tell lies as soon as they are born.

⁴They are like poisonous snakes,

like deaf cobras that stop up their ears

⁵so they cannot hear the music of the snake charmer

no matter how well he plays.

⁶God, break the teeth in their mouths!

Tear out the fangs of those lions, Lord!

⁷Let them disappear like water that flows away.

Let them be cut short like a broken arrow.

⁸Let them be like snails that melt as they move.

Let them be like a child born dead who never saw the sun.

⁹His anger will blow them away alive

faster than burning thorns can heat a pot.

¹⁰Good people will be glad when they see him get even.

They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.

¹¹Then people will say,

“There really are rewards for doing what is right.

There really is a God who judges the world.”

A Prayer for Protection

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A miktam of David when Saul sent men to watch David’s house to kill him.

59God, save me from my enemies.

Protect me from those who come against me.

²Save me from those who do evil

and from murderers.

³Look, they are waiting to ambush me.

Cruel people attack me,

but I have not sinned or done wrong, Lord.

⁴I have done nothing wrong, but they are ready to attack me.

Wake up to help me, and look.

⁵You are the Lord God All-Powerful, the God of Israel.

Arise and punish those people.

Do not give those traitors any mercy.

Selah

⁶They come back at night.

Like dogs they growl and roam around the city.

⁷Notice what comes from their mouths.

Insults come from their lips,

because they say, “Who’s listening?”

⁸But, Lord, you laugh at them;

you make fun of all of them.

⁹God, my strength, I am looking to you,

because God is my defender.

¹⁰My God loves me, and he goes in front of me.

He will help me defeat my enemies.

¹¹Lord, our protector, do not kill them, or my people will forget.

With your power scatter them and defeat them.

¹²They sin by what they say;

they sin with their words.

They curse and tell lies,

so let their pride trap them.

¹³Destroy them in your anger;

destroy them completely!

Then they will know

that God rules over Israel

and to the ends of the earth.

Selah

¹⁴They come back at night.

Like dogs they growl

and roam around the city.

¹⁵They wander about looking for food,

and they howl if they do not find enough.

¹⁶But I will sing about your strength.

In the morning I will sing about your love.

You are my defender,

my place of safety in times of trouble.

¹⁷God, my strength, I will sing praises to you.

God, my defender, you are the God who loves me.