The Book of Psalms

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 58 -

God judges the earth

Unto the end. May you not destroy. Of David, with the inscription of a title.

If, truly and certainly, you speak justice, then judge what is right, you sons of men.

For, even in your heart, you work iniquity. Your hands construct injustice on the earth.

Sinners have become foreigners from the womb; they have gone astray from conception. They have been speaking falsehoods.(a)

Their fury is similar to that of a serpent; it is like a deaf asp, who even blocks her ears,

who will not listen to the voice of charmers, nor even to the enchanter who chants wisely.

God will crush their teeth within their own mouth. The Lord will break the molars of the lions.

They will come to nothing, like water flowing away. He has aimed his bow, while they are being weakened.

Like wax that flows, they will be carried away. Fire has fallen upon them, and they will not see the sun.

Before your thorns could know the brier, he consumes them alive, as if in rage.(b)

(c)

The just one will rejoice when he sees vindication. He will wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.(d)

And man will say, “If the just one is fruitful, then, truly, there is a God judging them on earth.”(e)

Footnotes

(a)57:4 The word ‘vulva’ is feminine and refers to the womb or to the female’s generative capability. The word ‘utero’ is masculine and, in this context, refers to the male generative capability. It is not a second reference to the womb. Here the Scriptures are saying that the sinful tendencies of human persons comes from being conceived of fallen men and fallen women.(Conte)

(b)57:10 The expression ‘absorbet eos viventes’ is figurative, as indicated by ‘sicut.’ However, it is already clear in the English translation that ‘swallowing them alive’ or ‘consuming them alive’ is a figure of speech, so a word-for-word translation of ‘sicut’ is not necessary. The meaning of ‘sicut’ is implied in the English text.(Conte)

(c)57:10 Before your thorns, etc:That is, before your thorns grow up, so as to become strong briers, they shall be overtaken and consumed by divine justice, swallowing them up, as it were, alive in his wrath.(Challoner)

(d)57:11 Shall wash his hands, etc:Shall applaud the justice of God, and take occasion from the consideration of the punishment of the wicked to wash and cleanse his hands from sin.(Challoner)

(e)57:12 Here the word ‘justo’ is singular, so it could be translated as ‘the just man,’ referring, on one level, to Christ. The teachings and sacrifice of Jesus Christ bear fruit, so man concludes that there is a God who judges the earth. But, on another level, the word ‘justo’ refers to the just in general, as indicated by the plural word ‘eos.’(Conte)

God judges the earth

Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

Their poison is like the poison of a snake, like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

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

Let them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,

so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”