Psalms

Psalm 58:1–5

¹For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam^a of David.

Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers?

Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?

²No, in your hearts you devise injustice;

with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.

³The wicked are estranged from the womb;

the liars go astray from birth.

⁴Their venom is like the venom of a snake,

like a cobra that shuts its ears,

⁵refusing to hear the tune of the charmer

who skillfully weaves his spell.

Footnotes

a 58:1 Miktam is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 16 and 56–60.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
To the tune of	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H516 'Thou must not destroy'
Do Not Destroy	תַּשְׁחֵ֗ת	taš·ḥêṯ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular	H516 'Thou must not destroy'
A Miktam	מִכְתָּֽם׃	miḵ·tām	Noun - masculine singular	H4387 Mikhtam
of David	לְדָוִ֥ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
Do you indeed	הַֽאֻמְנָ֗ם	ha·’um·nām	Conjunction	H552 verily, truly, indeed
speak	תְּדַבֵּר֑וּן	tə·ḏab·bê·rūn	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H1696 speak
justly	צֶ֭דֶק	ṣe·ḏeq	Noun - masculine singular	H6664 rightness, righteousness
O rulers	אֵ֣לֶם	’ê·lem	Noun - masculine singular construct	H482 silence
Do you judge	תִּ֝שְׁפְּט֗וּ	tiš·pə·ṭū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H8199 judge, govern
uprightly	מֵישָׁרִ֥ים	mê·šā·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4339 evenness, uprightness, equity
O sons	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of men	אָדָֽם׃	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
No	אַף־	’ap̄-	Conjunction	H637 also, yea
in your hearts	בְּלֵב֮	bə·lêḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
you devise	תִּפְעָ֫ל֥וּן	tip̄·‘ā·lūn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H6466 do, make
injustice	עוֹלֹ֪ת	‘ō·w·lōṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H5766 injustice, unrighteousness
with your hands	יְ֝דֵיכֶ֗ם	yə·ḏê·ḵem	Noun - feminine dual construct; second person masculine plural	H3027 hand
you mete out	תְּפַלֵּֽסֽוּן׃	tə·p̄al·lê·sūn	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H6424 weigh, make level
violence	חֲמַ֥ס	ḥă·mas	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2555 violence, wrong
on the earth	בָּאָ֡רֶץ	bā·’ā·reṣ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The wicked	רְשָׁעִ֣ים	rə·šā·‘îm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7563 wicked, criminal
are estranged	זֹ֣רוּ	zō·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2114 be a stranger
from the womb	מֵרָ֑חֶם	mê·rā·ḥem	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H7358 womb
the liars	דֹּבְרֵ֥י	dō·ḇə·rê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H1696 speak
go astray	תָּע֥וּ	tā·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H8582 err
from birth	מִ֝בֶּ֗טֶן	mib·be·ṭen	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H990 belly, body, womb

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Their venom	חֲמַת־	ḥă·maṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H2534 heat, rage
like	כִּדְמ֥וּת	kiḏ·mūṯ	Preposition-k; Noun - feminine singular	H1823 likeness, similitude
the venom	חֲמַת־	ḥă·maṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H2534 heat, rage
of a snake	נָחָ֑שׁ	nā·ḥāš	Noun - masculine singular	H5175 serpent
like	כְּמוֹ־	kə·mōw-	Preposition	H3644 like, as, when
a cobra	פֶ֥תֶן	p̄e·ṯen	Noun - masculine singular	H6620 cobra
that shuts	חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁ	ḥê·rêš	Adjective - masculine singular	H2795 deaf
its ears	אָזְנֽוֹ׃	’ā·zə·nōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H241 ear

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
refusing	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to hear	יִ֭שְׁמַע	yiš·ma‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
the tune	לְק֣וֹל	lə·qō·wl	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H6963 sound, voice
of the charmer	מְלַחֲשִׁ֑ים	mə·la·ḥă·šîm	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H3907 whisper, charm
who skillfully	מְחֻכָּֽם׃	mə·ḥuk·kām	Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular	H2449 be wise
weaves his spell	חוֹבֵ֖ר	ḥō·w·ḇêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2266 unite