Psalms 58–60

1Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

2No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

4Their poison is like the poison of a snake, like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

5which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

6Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh.

7Let them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

8Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,

11so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”

1Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.

2Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.

3For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.

4I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!

5You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.

6They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.

7Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”

8But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.

9Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.

10My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

11Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

12For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.

13Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah.

14At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.

15They shall wander up and down for food, and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.

16But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress.

17To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.

1God, you have rejected us. You have broken us down. You have been angry. Restore us, again.

2You have made the land tremble. You have torn it. Mend its fractures, for it quakes.

3You have shown your people hard things. You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger.

4You have given a banner to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

5So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.

6God has spoken from his sanctuary: “I will triumph. I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.

7Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is the defense of my head. Judah is my scepter.

8Moab is my wash basin. I will throw my sandal on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia.”

9Who will bring me into the strong city? Who has led me to Edom?

10Haven’t you, God, rejected us? You don’t go out with our armies, God.

11Give us help against the adversary, for the help of man is vain.

12Through God we will do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our adversaries.