Psalm 58

For the end. Destroy not: by David, for a memorial.

¹ If ye do indeed speak righteousness, then do ye judge rightly, ye sons of men. ² For ye work iniquities in your hearts in the earth: your hands plot unrighteousness. ³ Sinners have gone astray from the womb: they go astray from the belly: they speak lies. ⁴ Their venom is like that of a serpent; as that of a deaf asp, and that stops her ears; ⁵ which will not hear the voice of charmers, nor heed the ¹charm prepared skillfully by the wise.

⁶ God has crushed their teeth in their mouth: God has broken the cheek-teeth of the lions. ⁷ They shall utterly pass away like water running through: he shall bend his bow till they shall fail. ⁸ They shall be destroyed as melted wax: the fire has fallen and they have not seen the sun. ⁹ Before your thorns feel the white thorn, he shall swallow you up as living, as in his wrath.

¹⁰ The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance of the ungodly: he shall wash his hands in the blood of the sinner. ¹¹ And a man shall say, Verily then there is ²a reward for the righteous: verily there is a God that judges them in the earth.

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Psalm 59

For the end. Destroy not: by David for a memorial, when Saul sent, and watched his house to kill him.

¹ Deliver me from mine enemies, O God; and ransom me from those that rise up against me. ² Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.

³ For, behold, they have hunted after my soul; violent men have set upon me: neither is it my iniquity, nor my sin, O Lord. ⁴ Without iniquity I ran and directed my course aright: awake to help me, and behold. ⁵ And thou, Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, draw nigh to visit all the heathen; pity not any that work iniquity. Pause. ⁶ They shall return at evening, and hunger like a dog, and go round about the city.

⁷ Behold, they shall utter a voice with their mouth, and a sword is in their lips; for who, say they, has heard? ⁸ But thou, Lord, wilt laugh them to scorn; thou wilt utterly set at nought all the heathen. ⁹ will keep my strength, looking to thee; for thou, O God, art my helper. ¹⁰ As for my God, his mercy shall go before me: my God will shew me vengeance on mine enemies.

¹¹ Slay them not, lest they forget thy ³law; scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord, my defender. ¹² For the sin of their mouth, and the word of their lips, let them be even taken in their pride. ¹³ And for their cursing and falsehood shall utter destruction be denounced: they shall fall by the wrath of utter destruction, and shall not be; so shall they know that the God of Jacob is Lord of the ends of the earth. Pause. ¹⁴ They shall return at evening, and be hungry as a dog, and go round about the city. ¹⁵ They shall be scattered hither and thither for meat; and if they be not satisfied, they shall even murmur.

¹⁶ But I will sing to thy strength, and in the morning will I exult in thy mercy; for thou hast been my supporter, and my refuge in the day of mine affliction. ¹⁷ Thou art my helper; to thee, my God, will I sing; thou art my supporter, O my God, and my mercy.