58:1 For the music director, according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David.

Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions?

Do you judge people fairly?

2 No! You plan how to do what is unjust;

you deal out violence in the earth.

3 The wicked turn aside from birth;

liars go astray as soon as they are born.

4 Their venom is like that of a snake,

like a deaf serpent that does not hear,

5 that does not respond to the magicians,

or to a skilled snake charmer.

6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths!

Smash the jawbones of the lions, O Lord.

7 Let them disappear like water that flows away.

Let them wither like grass.

8 Let them be like a snail that melts away as it moves along.

Let them be like stillborn babies that never see the sun.

9 Before the kindling is even placed under your pots,

he will sweep it away along with both the raw and cooked meat.

10 The godly will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out;

they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.

11 Then observers will say,

“Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded.

Yes indeed, there is a God who judges in the earth.”

59:1 For the music director, according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him.

Deliver me from my enemies, my God.

Protect me from those who attack me.

2 Deliver me from evildoers.

Rescue me from violent men.

3 For look, they wait to ambush me;

powerful men stalk me,

but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord.

4 Though I have done nothing wrong, they are anxious to attack.

Spring into action and help me. Take notice of me.

5 You, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel,

rouse yourself and punish all the nations.

Have no mercy on any treacherous evildoers. (Selah)

6 They return in the evening;

they growl like dogs

and prowl around outside the city.

7 Look, they hurl insults at me

and openly threaten to kill me,

for they say,

“Who hears?”

8 But you, O Lord, laugh in disgust at them;

you taunt all the nations.

9 You are my source of strength. I will wait for you.

For God is my refuge.

10 The God who loves me will help me;

God will enable me to triumph over my enemies.

11 Do not strike them dead suddenly,

because then my people might forget the lesson.

Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down,

O Lord who shields us.

12 They speak sinful words.

So let them be trapped by their own pride

and by the curses and lies they speak.

13 Angrily wipe them out. Wipe them out so they vanish.

Let them know that God rules

over Jacob and to the ends of the earth. (Selah)

14 They return in the evening;

they growl like dogs

and prowl around outside the city.

15 They wander around looking for something to eat;

they refuse to sleep until they are full.

16 As for me, I will sing about your strength;

I will praise your loyal love in the morning.

For you are my refuge

and my place of shelter when I face trouble.

17 You are my source of strength. I will sing praises to you.

For God is my refuge, the God who loves me.

60:1 For the music director, according to the shushan-eduth style; a prayer of David written to instruct others. It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

O God, you have rejected us.

You suddenly turned on us in your anger.

Please restore us!

2 You made the earth quake; you split it open.

Repair its breaches, for it is ready to fall.

3 You have made your people experience hard times;

you have made us drink intoxicating wine.

4 You have given your loyal followers a rallying flag,

so that they might seek safety from the bow. (Selah)

5 Deliver by your power and answer me,

so that the ones you love may be safe.

6 God has spoken in his sanctuary:

“I will triumph. I will parcel out Shechem;

the Valley of Sukkoth I will measure off.

7 Gilead belongs to me,

as does Manasseh.

Ephraim is my helmet,

Judah my royal scepter.

8 Moab is my washbasin.

I will make Edom serve me.

I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”

9 Who will lead me into the fortified city?

Who will bring me to Edom?

10 Have you not rejected us, O God?

O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.

11 Give us help against the enemy,

for any help men might offer is futile.

12 By God’s power we will conquer;

he will trample down our enemies.

The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® copyright © 1996, 2019, used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.