1
For the director.לַמְנַצֵּחַDo Not Destroy.אַל תַּשְׁחֵתOf David.לְדָוִדA Miktam.מִכְתָּםDo you reallyהַאֻמְנָםspeakתְּדַבֵּרוּןrighteousnessצֶדֶקin silence?אֵלֶםWith uprightnessמֵישָׁרִיםdo you judge,תִּשְׁפְּטוּhuman beings?בְּנֵי אָדָם
Psalms 58:1
Study it in the app“For the director. Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam. Do you really speak righteousness in silence? With uprightness do you judge, human beings?”
With the Hebrew beneath
Psalms 58:1, word by word
- For the directorמְנַצֵּחַmenatseach
direct
To take charge of directing a work or the singing and music of the psalms.
Where else “menatseach” appears- Do Not Destroyאַלal
"Do not destroy"
"Do not destroy": words in the title of four psalms (57, 58, 59 and 75); probably the opening of a known song to whose tune they were sung.
Where else “al” appears- Of Davidדָוִדdavid
David
David, youngest son of Jesse, of Bethlehem; the second king of Israel. The name means "beloved."
Where else “david” appears- A Miktamמִכְתָּםmichtam
miktam
Miktam: a word in the title of Psalms 16 and 56–60. It names a kind of psalm; its exact sense is not known (perhaps "inscription").
Where else “michtam” appears- Do you reallyאֻמְנָםumnam
truly, indeed
Truly, really, indeed.
Where else “umnam” appears- speakתְּדַבֵּרוּtedaberu
speak
To speak, say something; above all God to his people.
Where else “tedaberu” appears- righteousnessצֶדֶקtsedek
righteousness
Living uprightly before God.
Where else “tsedek” appears- in silenceאֵלֶםelem
silence
Silence, muteness. It appears in the title of Psalm 56 ("the silent dove") and in Psalm 58:1, where its sense is disputed.
Where else “elem” appears- With uprightnessמֵישָׁרִיםmesharim
uprightness
What is upright and just, in what is spoken or judged.
Where else “mesharim” appears- do you judgeתִּשְׁפְּטוּtishptu
judge
To judge and do justice, defend the weak.
Where else “tishptu” appears- human beingsבְּנֵיbene
human being
Literally "son of Adam": any person, a mortal.
Where else “bene” appears- human beingsאָדָםadam
human being
All humankind, men and women, as creatures God formed.
Where else “adam” appears
Translation note
The Hebrew word translated “silence” is difficult here. With the same letters and other vowels it reads “gods” or “mighty ones,” that is, the judges and rulers whom the psalm accuses (compare Psalm 82). The last sentence can also be read “do you judge human beings with uprightness?”
The context
1 · This verse (above)
2Rather, in your heart you work injustices; in the land the violence of your hands you weigh out.