58
God Judges the Earth
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam * of David.
1 Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers?
Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
2 No, in your hearts you devise injustice;
with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb;
the liars go astray from birth.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like a cobra that shuts its ears,
5 refusing to hear the tune of the charmer
who skillfully weaves his spell.
6 O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths;
O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.
7 May they vanish
like water that runs off;
when they draw the bow,
may their arrows be blunted.†
8 Like a slug that dissolves in its slime,
like a woman’s stillborn child,
may they never see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the burning thorns—
whether green or dry—
He will sweep them away.
10 The righteous will rejoice
when they see they are avenged;
they will wash their feet
in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then men will say,
“There is surely a reward for the righteous!
There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
* 58: Miktam is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 16 and 56–60. † 58:7 Or when they are trodden down, may they wither like grass