Psalms 58 GNV
Summary: An imprecatory psalm aimed at corrupt judges rather than personal enemies, Psalm 58 accuses rulers of judging unjustly and favoring violence "in your hearts" while claiming to weigh things fairly (v. 1-2). It piles up vivid curses, wishing the wicked's teeth broken like a lion's and their lives to melt away like a snail or a stillborn child that never sees the sun (v. 6, 8). It closes with the unsettling claim that the righteous will "rejoice when he sees the vengeance" (v. 10), before affirming that there is, after all, a God who judges on earth (v. 11).
1To him that excelleth. Destroy not. A Psalme of David on Michtam. Is it true? O Congregation, speake ye iustly? O sonnes of men, iudge ye vprightly?
2Yea, rather ye imagine mischiefe in your heart: your hands execute crueltie vpon the earth.
3The wicked are strangers from ye wombe: euen from the belly haue they erred, and speake lyes.
4Their poyson is euen like the poyson of a serpent: like ye deafe adder that stoppeth his eare.
5Which heareth not the voyce of the inchanter, though he be most expert in charming.
6Breake their teeth, O God, in their mouthes: breake the iawes of the yong lions, O Lord.
7Let them melt like the waters, let them passe away: when hee shooteth his arrowes, let them be as broken.
8Let them consume like a snayle that melteth, and like the vntimely fruite of a woman, that hath not seene the sunne.
9As raw flesh before your pots feele the fire of thornes: so let him cary them away as with a whirlewinde in his wrath.
10The righteous shall reioyce when he seeeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feete in the blood of the wicked.
11And men shall say, Verily there is fruite for the righteous: doutlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth.
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