Midrash su Salmi 59:12

And the whole earth was of one language (Gen. 11:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Slay them not, lest my people forget, make them wander to and fro by Thy power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield. For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips (Ps. 59:12). David uttered this verse in reference to Doeg and Ahithophel.²⁹Doeg informed against the priests in Nob (I Sam. 22:9–19), and Ahithophel advised Absalom to go in unto his father’s concubines (II Sam. 16:20–22). He cried out to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, slay them not as you do other men, lest my people forget the miracles you performed (in my behalf). Make them instead to wander to and fro under Your control so that they may roam about in this world. And bring them down, that is, from their exalted position. Why? For they have rebelled against You.

[(Gen. 11:1:) NOW THE WHOLE EARTH HAD ONE LANGUAGE.] This text is related (to Ps. 59:12 [11]): DO NOT KILL THEM LEST MY PEOPLE FORGET; MAKE THEM WANDER BY YOUR POWER AND BRING THEM DOWN.⁹³Tanh., Gen. 2:17; cf. Gen. R. 38:1. Against whom did David speak this scripture? He spoke it against none other than Doeg and Ahithophel. David said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, do not kill them by a death that you use on the rest of Adam's children; but {make them wander in the world} [MAKE THEM WANDER BY YOUR POWER] to be homeless nomads in the world. [AND BRING THEM DOWN:] and bring them down from their arrogance. Why? (Ps. 5:11 [10]:) BECAUSE THEY REBELLED AGAINST YOU. (Ps. 59:13 [12]:) FOR THE SIN OF THEIR MOUTH AND THE WORD OF THEIR LIPS < means > that they had sinned with their mouth and again with their lips. Doeg said (in I Sam. 22:9): I SAW THE SON OF JESSE COME TO NOB…. Ahithophel said to Absalom (in II Sam. 16:21): GO IN TO YOUR FATHER'S CONCUBINES…. < That was > THE SIN OF THEIR MOUTH, which they had sinned with their mouth. THE WORD OF THEIR LIPS: By the < actual > utterance on their lips. Ergo (in Ps. 59:13 [12], cont.): {THEY WERE TRAPPED IN THEIR SPEECH} [LET THEM BE TRAPPED BY THEIR PRIDE].

Another interpretation: He spoke it against none other than the generation of the dispersion. (Ps. 59:12 [11]:) DO NOT KILL THEM by the death that you used on the generation of the flood. Rather (ibid., cont.): MAKE THEM WANDER BY YOUR POWER. Make them homeless nomads in the world. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 11:8): SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM. (Ps. 59:13 [12]:) FOR THE SIN OF THEIR MOUTH < means > that they had sinned with their mouth. (Ibid., cont.:) THE WORD OF THEIR LIPS < means > that they had sinned with their lips. Therefore (ibid., cont.): LET THEM BE TRAPPED BY THEIR PRIDE. {Thus it is stated.}