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Christian prayer

Psalm 58

Psalm 58 from the Bible, with the original text and its meaning.

  • 11 verses
  • Under a minute to recite
  • From the Bible
  1. 1

    To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David. Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?

  2. 2

    Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.

  3. 3

    The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

  4. 4

    Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;

  5. 5

    Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.

  6. 6

    Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.

  7. 7

    Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

  8. 8

    As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

  9. 9

    Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

  10. 10

    The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

  11. 11

    So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

The Hebrew original

1 לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אַל־תַּשְׁחֵ֗ת לְדָוִ֥ד מִכְתָּֽם׃

2 הַֽאֻמְנָ֗ם אֵ֣לֶם צֶ֭דֶק תְּדַבֵּר֑וּן מֵישָׁרִ֥ים תִּ֝שְׁפְּט֗וּ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃

3 אַף־בְּלֵב֮ עוֹלֹ֪ת תִּפְעָ֫ל֥וּן בָּאָ֡רֶץ חֲמַ֥ס יְ֝דֵיכֶ֗ם תְּפַלֵּֽסֽוּן׃

4 זֹ֣רוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים מֵרָ֑חֶם תָּע֥וּ מִ֝בֶּ֗טֶן דֹּבְרֵ֥י כָזָֽב׃

5 חֲמַת־לָ֗מוֹ כִּדְמ֥וּת חֲמַת־נָחָ֑שׁ כְּמוֹ־פֶ֥תֶן חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁ יַאְטֵ֥ם אָזְנֽוֹ׃

6 אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יִ֭שְׁמַע לְק֣וֹל מְלַחֲשִׁ֑ים חוֹבֵ֖ר חֲבָרִ֣ים מְחֻכָּֽם׃

7 אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים הֲרָס־שִׁנֵּ֥ימוֹ בְּפִ֑ימוֹ מַלְתְּע֥וֹת כְּ֝פִירִ֗ים נְתֹ֣ץ ׀ יְהוָֽה׃

8 יִמָּאֲס֣וּ כְמוֹ־מַ֭יִם יִתְהַלְּכוּ־לָ֑מוֹ יִדְרֹ֥ךְ חצו כְּמ֣וֹ יִתְמֹלָֽלוּ׃

9 כְּמ֣וֹ שַׁ֭בְּלוּל תֶּ֣מֶס יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ נֵ֥פֶל אֵ֝֗שֶׁת בַּל־חָ֥זוּ שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃

10 בְּטֶ֤רֶם יָבִ֣ינוּ סִּֽירֹתֵיכֶ֣ם אָטָ֑ד כְּמוֹ־חַ֥י כְּמוֹ־חָ֝ר֗וֹן יִשְׂעָרֶֽנּוּ׃

11 יִשְׂמַ֣ח צַ֭דִּיק כִּי־חָזָ֣ה נָקָ֑ם פְּעָמָ֥יו יִ֝רְחַ֗ץ בְּדַ֣ם הָרָשָֽׁע׃

12 וְיֹאמַ֣ר אָ֭דָם אַךְ־פְּרִ֣י לַצַּדִּ֑יק אַ֥ךְ יֵשׁ־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים שֹׁפְטִ֥ים בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here

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When it is prayed

Many Christians pray Psalm 58 when reflecting on injustice, corruption or the abuse of power. In the tradition, its forceful language can be read as an appeal to entrust judgment to God rather than seek personal revenge.

  • Facing injustice
  • Praying for justice
  • Personal reflection

Where it comes from

Psalm 58 comes from the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament and was originally composed in Hebrew. Its heading associates it with David. It belongs to the group often called imprecatory psalms, which call on God to judge wrongdoing.

In the libraryThe King James Version of the BibleSee the book

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Questions about Psalm 58

How many verses are in Psalm 58?

Psalm 58 has 11 verses.

What is Psalm 58 about?

It condemns unjust judgment and wickedness, using vivid images to ask God to bring wrongdoing to an end. It closes by affirming that God judges the earth.

Why does Psalm 58 use such harsh language?

Its language expresses outrage at cruelty and injustice. Many Christians understand it as bringing anger honestly before God while leaving judgment in God's hands.

Who wrote Psalm 58?

Its heading associates it with David, though that attribution does not establish its authorship with certainty.

How long does Psalm 58 take to recite?

It can be recited in under a minute, though a slower, reflective reading may take longer.

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