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For the choir director; al tashcheth; a miktam by David.

58 Do you rulers really give fair verdicts?
Do you judge Adam’s descendants fairly?
No, you invent new crimes on earth,
and your hands spread violence.

⌞Even⌟ inside the womb wicked people are strangers ⌞to God⌟.
From their birth liars go astray.
They have poisonous venom like snakes.
They are like a deaf cobra that shuts its ears
so that it cannot hear the voice of a snake charmer
or of anyone trained to cast spells.

O God, knock the teeth out of their mouths.
Break the young lions’ teeth, O Lord.
Let them disappear like water that drains away.
When they aim their bows, let their arrows miss the target.
Let them become like a snail that leaves behind a slimy trail
or like a stillborn child who never sees the sun.
Let ⌞God⌟ sweep them away
faster than a cooking pot is heated by burning twigs.

10 Righteous people will rejoice when they see ⌞God⌟ take revenge.
They will wash their feet in the blood of wicked people.
11 Then people will say,
“Righteous people certainly have a reward.
There is a God who judges on earth.”

For the choir director; al tashcheth; a miktam by David when Saul sent men to watch David’s home and kill him.

59 Rescue me from my enemies, O my God.
Protect me from those who attack me.
Rescue me from troublemakers.
Save me from bloodthirsty people.
They lie in ambush for me right here!
Fierce men attack me, O Lord,
but not because of any disobedience,
or any sin, or any guilt on my part.
They hurry to take positions against me.
Wake up, and help me; see ⌞for yourself⌟.
O Lord God of Armies, God of Israel,
arise to punish all the nations.
Have no pity on any traitors. Selah

They return in the evening.
They howl like dogs.
They prowl the city.

See what pours out of their mouths—
swords from their lips!
⌞They think,⌟ “Who will hear us?”
O Lord, you laugh at them.
You make fun of all the nations.

O my strength, I watch for you!
God is my stronghold, my merciful God!

10 God will come to meet me.
He will let me gloat over those who spy on me.
11 Do not kill them.
Otherwise, my people may forget.
Make them wander aimlessly by your power.
Bring them down, O Lord, our shield,
12 ⌞because of⌟ the sins from their mouths
and the words on their lips.
Let them be trapped by their own arrogance
because they speak curses and lies.
13 Destroy them in your rage.
Destroy them until not one of them is left.
Then they will know that God rules Jacob
to the ends of the earth. Selah

14 They return in the evening.
They howl like dogs.
They prowl the city.

15 They wander around to find something to eat.
If they are not full enough,
they will stay all night.
16 But I will sing about your strength.
In the morning I will joyfully sing about your mercy.
You have been my stronghold
and a place of safety in times of trouble.
17 O my strength, I will make music to praise you!
God is my stronghold, my merciful God!

For the choir director; according to shushan eduth; [a] a miktam by David; for teaching. When David fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and ⌞when⌟ Joab came back and killed 12,000 men from Edom in the Dead Sea region.

60 O God, you have rejected us.
You have broken down our defenses.
You have been angry.
Restore us!
You made the land quake.
You split it wide open.
Heal the cracks in it
because it is falling apart.
You have made your people experience hardships.
You have given us wine that makes us stagger.
Yet, you have raised a flag for those who fear you
so that they can rally to it
when attacked by bows ⌞and arrows⌟. Selah
Save ⌞us⌟ with your powerful hand, and answer us
so that those who are dear to you may be rescued.[b]

God has promised the following through his holiness:
“I will triumph!
I will divide Shechem.
I will measure the valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine.
Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim is the helmet on my head.
Judah is my scepter.
Moab is my washtub.
I will throw my shoe over Edom.
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”

Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Isn’t it you, O God, who rejected us?
Isn’t it you, O God, who refused to accompany our armies?

11 Give us help against the enemy
because human assistance is worthless.
12 With God we will display great strength.
He will trample our enemies.

Footnotes

  1. 60:0 Unknown musical term.
  2. 60:5 Verses 5–12 are virtually identical in wording to Psalm 108:6–13.

Psalm 58[a]

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

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

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

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

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns(M)
    whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[c](N)
10 The righteous will be glad(O) when they are avenged,(P)
    when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.(Q)
11 Then 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.

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

See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire(Y) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
I have done no wrong,(Z) yet they are ready to attack me.(AA)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!(AB)
You, 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)

They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,(AG)
    and prowl about the city.
See 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)
But you laugh at them, Lord;(AK)
    you scoff at all those nations.(AL)

You 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.
11 But 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)
12 For 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)

14 They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food(AW)
    and howl if not satisfied.
16 But 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)

17 You 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)

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

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

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

Footnotes

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