Psalms 58:2

No! ¹  You plan how to do what is unjust; ²  you deal out violence in the earth. ³ 

No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

No, in heart you work unrighteousness; On earth you weigh out the violence of your hands.

No, all your dealings are crooked; you hand out violence instead of justice.

Behind the scenes you brew cauldrons of evil, behind closed doors you make deals with demons.

The purposes of your hearts are evil; your hands are full of cruel doings on the earth.

No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.

No, in heart you work wickedness; You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

No! ¹  You plan how to do what is unjust; ²  you deal out violence in the earth. ³ 

¹ tn The particle אַף (’af, “no”) is used here as a strong adversative emphasizing the following statement, which contrasts reality with the rulers’ claim alluded to in the rhetorical questions (see Ps 44:9).

² tn Heb “in the heart unjust deeds you do.” The phrase “in the heart” (i.e., “mind”) seems to refer to their plans and motives. The Hebrew noun עַוְלָה (’avlah, “injustice”) is collocated with פָּעַל (pa’al, “do”) here and in Job 36:23 and Ps 119:3. Some emend the plural form עוֹלֹת (’olot, “unjust deeds”; see Ps 64:6) to the singular עָוֶל (’avel, “injustice”; see Job 34:32), taking the final tav (ת) as dittographic (note that the following verbal form begins with tav). Some then understand עָוֶל (’avel, “injustice”) as a genitive modifying “heart” and translate, “with a heart of injustice you act.”

³ tn Heb “in the earth the violence of your hands you weigh out.” The imagery is from the economic realm. The addressees measure out violence, rather than justice, and distribute it like a commodity. This may be ironic, since justice was sometimes viewed as a measuring scale (see Job 31:6).