Psalm 58

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.”