Psalm 58–59

Psalm 58^a

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

¹Do you rulers indeed speak justly?^c

Do you judge people with equity?

²No, in your heart you devise injustice,^d

and your hands mete out violence on the earth.^e

³Even from birth the wicked go astray;

from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.

⁴Their venom is like the venom of a snake,^f

like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,

⁵that will not heed^g the tune of the charmer,^h

however skillful the enchanter may be.

⁶Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;ⁱ

Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!^j

⁷Let them vanish like water that flows away;^k

when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.^l

⁸May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,^m

like a stillborn childⁿ that never sees the sun.

⁹Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns^o—

whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.^cp

¹⁰The righteous will be glad^q when they are avenged,^r

when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.^s

¹¹Then people will say,

“Surely the righteous still are rewarded;^t

surely there is a God who judges the earth.”^u

Psalm 59^a

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^b When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^v in order to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O God;^w

be my fortress against those who are attacking me.^x

²Deliver me from evildoers^y

and save me from those who are after my blood.^z

³See how they lie in wait for me!

Fierce men conspire^a against me

for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.

⁴I have done no wrong,^b yet they are ready to attack me.^c

Arise to help me; look on my plight!^d

⁵You, Lord God Almighty,

you who are the God of Israel,^e

rouse yourself^f to punish all the nations;^g

show no mercy to wicked traitors.^ch

⁶They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,ⁱ

and prowl about the city.

⁷See what they spew from their mouths^j—

the words from their lips are sharp as swords,^k

and they think, “Who can hear us?”^l

⁸But you laugh at them, Lord;^m

you scoff at all those nations.ⁿ

⁹You are my strength,^o I watch for you;

you, God, are my fortress,^p

¹⁰my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me

and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

¹¹But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^dq

or my people will forget.^r

In your might uproot them

and bring them down.^s

¹²For the sins of their mouths,^t

for the words of their lips,^u

let them be caught in their pride.^v

For the curses and lies they utter,

¹³consume them in your wrath,

consume them till they are no more.^w

Then it will be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob.^x

¹⁴They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,

and prowl about the city.

¹⁵They wander about for food^y

and howl if not satisfied.

¹⁶But I will sing^z of your strength,^a

in the morning^b I will sing of your love;^c

for you are my fortress,^d

my refuge in times of trouble.^e

¹⁷You are my strength, I sing praise to you;

you, God, are my fortress,

my God on whom I can rely.^f