Psalm 58-60

Complete Jewish Bible

58 ⁽⁰⁾For the leader. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” By David, a mikhtam:

²⁽¹⁾[Rulers,] does your silence really speak justice?
Are you judging people fairly?
³⁽²⁾[No!] In your hearts you devise wrongs,
your hands dispense violence in the land.

⁴⁽³⁾From the womb, the wicked are estranged,
liars on the wrong path since birth.
⁵⁽⁴⁾Their venom is like snake’s venom;
they are like a serpent that stops its ears,
⁶⁽⁵⁾so as not to hear the voice of the charmer,
no matter how well he plays.

⁷⁽⁶⁾God, break their teeth in their mouth!
Shatter the fangs of these lions, Adonai!
⁸⁽⁷⁾May they vanish like water that drains away.
May their arrows be blunted when they aim their bows.
⁹⁽⁸⁾May they be like a slug that melts as it moves,
like a stillborn baby that never sees the sun.
¹⁰⁽⁹⁾Before your cook-pots feel the heat of the burning thorns,
may he blow them away, green and blazing alike.

¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾The righteous will rejoice to see vengeance done,
they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked;
¹²⁽¹¹⁾and people will say, “Yes, the righteous are rewarded;
there is, after all, a God who judges the earth.”
59 ⁽⁰⁾For the leader. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” By David; a mikhtam, when Sha’ul sent men to keep watch on David’s house in order to kill him:

²⁽¹⁾My God, rescue me from my enemies!
Lift me up, out of reach of my foes!
³⁽²⁾Rescue me from evildoers,
save me from bloodthirsty men.
⁴⁽³⁾For there they are, lying in wait to kill me.
Openly they gather themselves against me,
and not because I committed a crime
or sinned, Adonai.
⁵⁽⁴⁾For no fault of mine, they run and prepare.
Awaken to help me, and see!
⁶⁽⁵⁾You, Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot,
God of Isra’el,
arouse yourself to punish all the nations;
spare none of those wicked traitors. (Selah)

⁷⁽⁶⁾They return at nightfall, snarling like dogs
as they go around the city.
⁸⁽⁷⁾Look what pours out of their mouth,
what swords are on their lips,
[as they say to themselves,]
“No one is listening, anyway.”
⁹⁽⁸⁾But you, Adonai, laugh at them,
you mock all the nations.

¹⁰⁽⁹⁾My Strength, I will watch for you,
for God is my fortress.
¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾God, who gives me grace, will come to me;
God will let me gaze in triumph at my foes.

¹²⁽¹¹⁾Don’t kill them, or my people will forget;
instead, by your power, make them wander to and fro;
but bring them down, Adonai our Shield,
¹³⁽¹²⁾for the sins their mouths make with each word from their lips.
Let them be trapped by their pride
for the curses and falsehoods they utter.
¹⁴⁽¹³⁾Finish them off in wrath,
finish them off, put an end to them,
and let them know to the ends of the earth
that God is Ruler in Ya‘akov. (Selah)

¹⁵⁽¹⁴⁾They return at nightfall, snarling like dogs
as they go around the city.
¹⁶⁽¹⁵⁾They roam about, looking for food,
prowling all night if they don’t get their fill.
¹⁷⁽¹⁶⁾But as for me, I will sing of your strength;
in the morning I will sing aloud of your grace.
For you are my fortress,
a refuge when I am in trouble.
¹⁸⁽¹⁷⁾My Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for God is my fortress, God, who gives me grace.

60 ⁽⁰⁾For the leader. Set to “Lily of Testimony.” A mikhtam of David for teaching about ²when he fought with Aram-Naharayim and with Aram-Tzovah, and Yo’av returned and killed 12,000 from Edom in the Salt Valley:

³⁽¹⁾God, you rejected us; you crushed us;
you were angry; but now revive us.
⁴⁽²⁾You made the land shake, split it apart;
now repair the rifts, for it is collapsing.
⁵⁽³⁾You made your people suffer hard times,
had us drink a wine that made us stagger.

⁶⁽⁴⁾To those who fear you because of the truth
you gave a banner to rally around, (Selah)
⁷⁽⁵⁾so that those you love could be rescued;
so save with your right hand, and answer us!

⁸⁽⁶⁾God in his holiness spoke,
and I took joy [in his promise]:
“I will divide Sh’khem
and determine the shares in the Sukkot Valley.
⁹⁽⁷⁾Gil‘ad is mine and M’nasheh mine,
Efrayim my helmet, Y’hudah my scepter.
¹⁰⁽⁸⁾Mo’av is my washpot; on Edom I throw my shoe;
P’leshet, be crushed because of me!”

¹¹⁽⁹⁾Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
¹²⁽¹⁰⁾God, have you rejected us?
You don’t go out with our armies, God.
¹³⁽¹¹⁾Help us against our enemy,
for human help is worthless.
¹⁴⁽¹²⁾With God’s help we will fight valiantly,
for he will trample our enemies.

Psalm 58-60

New International Version

Psalm 58^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[b]

¹Do you rulers indeed speak justly?^(A)
Do you judge people with equity?
²No, in your heart you devise injustice,^(B)
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.^(C)

³Even from birth the wicked go astray;
    from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
⁴Their venom is like the venom of a snake,^(D)
    like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
⁵that will not heed^(E) the tune of the charmer,^(F)
    however skillful the enchanter may be.

⁶Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;^(G)
    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!^(H)
⁷Let them vanish like water that flows away;^(I)
    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.^(J)
⁸May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,^(K)
    like a stillborn child^(L) that never sees the sun.

⁹Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns^(M)—
    whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.^[c]^(N)
¹⁰The righteous will be glad^(O) when they are avenged,^(P)
    when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.^(Q)
¹¹Then people will say,
    “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;^(R)
    surely there is a God who judges the earth.”^(S)

Psalm 59^[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[e] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^(T) in order to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O God;^(U)
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.^(V)
²Deliver me from evildoers^(W)
and save me from those who are after my blood.^(X)

³See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire^(Y) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
⁴I have done no wrong,^(Z) yet they are ready to attack me.^(AA)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!^(AB)
⁵You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,^(AC)
rouse yourself^(AD) to punish all the nations;^(AE)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.^[f]^(AF)

⁶They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,^(AG)
    and prowl about the city.
⁷See what they spew from their mouths^(AH)—
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,^(AI)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”^(AJ)
⁸But you laugh at them, Lord;^(AK)
    you scoff at all those nations.^(AL)

⁹You are my strength,^(AM) I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,^(AN)
¹⁰ my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^[g]^(AO)
    or my people will forget.^(AP)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.^(AQ)
¹²For the sins of their mouths,^(AR)
    for the words of their lips,^(AS)
    let them be caught in their pride.^(AT)
For the curses and lies they utter,
¹³    consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.^(AU)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.^(AV)

¹⁴They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
¹⁵They wander about for food^(AW)
    and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶But I will sing^(AX) of your strength,^(AY)
    in the morning^(AZ) I will sing of your love;^(BA)
for you are my fortress,^(BB)
    my refuge in times of trouble.^(BC)

¹⁷You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.^(BD)

Psalm 60^[h]^(BE)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam^[i] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim^[j] and Aram Zobah,^[k] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.^(BF)

¹You have rejected us,^(BG) God, and burst upon us;
    you have been angry^(BH)—now restore us!^(BI)
²You have shaken the land^(BJ) and torn it open;
    mend its fractures,^(BK) for it is quaking.
³You have shown your people desperate times;^(BL)
    you have given us wine that makes us stagger.^(BM)
⁴But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner^(BN)
    to be unfurled against the bow.^[l]

⁵Save us and help us with your right hand,^(BO)
    that those you love^(BP) may be delivered.
⁶God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem^(BQ)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.^(BR)
⁷Gilead^(BS) is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim^(BT) is my helmet,
    Judah^(BU) is my scepter.^(BV)
⁸Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.^(BW)”

⁹Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
¹⁰Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?^(BX)
¹¹Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.^(BY)
¹²With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.^(BZ)

Footnotes

Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign
Psalm 60:1 In Hebrew texts 60:1-12 is numbered 60:3-14.
Psalm 60:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of Northwest Mesopotamia
Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of central Syria
Psalm 60:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 58-60

Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 58-60

New International Version

Psalm 58^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[b]

Psalm 59^[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[e] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^(T) in order to kill him.

Psalm 60^[h]^(BE)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam^[i] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim^[j] and Aram Zobah,^[k] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.^(BF)

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 58-60 Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 58-60 New International Version

Psalm 58[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b]

Psalm 59[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[e] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house(T) in order to kill him.

Psalm 60[h](BE)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam[i] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim[j] and Aram Zobah,[k] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.(BF)

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 58-60

Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 58-60

New International Version

Psalm 58^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[b]

Psalm 59^[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[e] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^(T) in order to kill him.

Psalm 60^[h]^(BE)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam^[i] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim^[j] and Aram Zobah,^[k] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.^(BF)