Psalms 58

Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked.

For the music director; set to Lit Do Not DestroyAl-tashheth. A Possibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement PsalmMikhtam of David.

1Do you indeed 1speak righteousness, you 2gods? Do you 3judge 4fairly, you sons of mankind?2No, in heart you 5practice injustice; On earth you 6clear a way for the violence of your hands.3The wicked have turned away 7from the womb; These who speak lies 8go astray from 9birth.4They have venom like the 10venom of a serpent; Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,5So that it 11does not hear the voice of 1213charmers, Or a skillful caster of spells.

6God, 14shatter their teeth in their mouth; Break out the fangs of the young lions, Lord.7May they 15flow away like water that runs off; When he 1617aims his arrows, may they be as 18headless shafts.8May they be like a snail which goes along in slime, Like the 19miscarriage of a woman that never sees the sun.9Before your 20pots can feel the fire of thorns He will 21sweep them away with a whirlwind, the 22green and the burning alike.

10The 23righteous will rejoice when he 24sees vengeance; He will 25wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.11And people will say, “There certainly is 2627a reward for the righteous; There certainly is a God who 28judges on the earth!”