Psalms 58
58
Judge of the Judges
For the Pure and Shining One
King David’s golden song of instruction
To the tune of “Do Not Destroy”
1-2God’s justice? You high and mighty politicians
know nothing about it!
Which one of you has walked in justice toward others?
Which one of you has treated everyone right and fair?
Not one! You only give “justice” in exchange for a bribe.
For the right price you let others get away with murder.
3-4Wicked wanderers even from the womb—that’s who you are!
You lie with your words, and your teaching is poison. # 58:3–4 The Hebrew reads “venom of a serpent,” which is a clear metaphor for wrong teaching.
5Like cobras closing their ears to the most expert of the charmers,
you strike out against all who are near.
6O God, break their fangs;
shatter the teeth of these ravenous lions!
7Let them disappear like water falling on thirsty ground.
Let all their weapons be useless.
8Let them be like snails dissolving into the slime.
Let them be cut off, never seeing the light of day!
9God will sweep them away so fast
that they’ll never know what hit them. # 58:9 The Hebrew here is recognized by nearly every scholar to be one of the most difficult verses in the Psalms to translate.
10The godly will celebrate in the triumph of good over evil,
and the lovers of God will trample
the wickedness of the wicked under their feet!
11Then everyone will say, “There is a God who judges the judges”
and “There is a great reward in loving God!”
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Psalms 58: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationPsalms 58
58
Judgment on the Wicked
For the music director, according to Do not Destroy.
Of David. A miktam.#The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
1Do you really speak what is right when silent?#A slight emendation of the Hebrew text yields “what is right, O gods,” or “O mighty ones”
Do you judge fairly the children of humankind?#Or “Do you judge fairly, O sons of humankind?”
2No, in your heart you plan injustices;
in the land#Or “on the earth” you weigh out the violence of your hands.
3The wicked are estranged from the womb.
They go astray from the belly, speaking lies.
4Their venom is like snake venom;
They are like a deaf viper that closes its ear
5so that it does not hear the voice of charmers
or the skilled caster of spells.
6O God, break their teeth in their mouth.
Break off the fangs of the young lions, O Yahweh.
7Let them run away like water that runs off.
When he bends the bow, let his arrows be as though they were cut off.#Or “as though they were withered stalks”
8Let them be like a snail that melts away as it goes;
like the stillborn of woman that do not see the sun.
9Before your pots can feel the heat of a thornbush,
whether green or dry,#Literally “burning” he will sweep it away.#The Hebrew of this verse is difficult to interpret
10The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11And people#Hebrew “a person” will say, “Surely there is a reward#Literally “fruit” for the righteous.
Surely there is a God who judges in the land.”#Or “on the earth”
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