Psalm 58
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אַל תַּשְׁחֵ֗ת לְדָוִ֥ד מִכְתָּֽם
BSB
God Judges the Earth
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David.
1Do 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.
6O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths;
O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.
7May they vanish
like water that runs off;
when they draw the bow,
may their arrows be blunted.
8Like a slug that dissolves in its slime,
like a woman’s stillborn child,
may they never see the sun.
9Before your pots can feel the burning thorns—
whether green or dry—
He will sweep them away.
10The righteous will rejoice
when they see they are avenged;
they will wash their feet
in the blood of the wicked.
11Then men will say,
“There is surely a reward for the righteous!
There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
Introduction
Psalms 58
It is the probable conjecture of some (Amyraldus particularly) that before Saul began to persecute David by force of arms, and raised the militia to seize him, he formed a process against him by course of law, upon which he was condemned unheard, and attainted as a traitor, by the great council, or supreme court of judicature, and then proclaimed "qui caput gerit lupinum - an outlawed wolf," whom any man might kill and no man might protect. The elders, in order to curry favour with Saul, having passed this bill of attainder, it is supposed that David penned this psalm on the occasion. I. He describes their sin, and aggravates that (Psa 58:1-5). II. He imprecates and foretels their ruin, and the judgments which the righteous God would bring upon them for their injustice (Psa 58:6-9) which would redound, 1. To the comfort of the saints (Psa 58:10). 2. To the glory of God (Psa 58:11). Sin appears here both exceedingly sinful and exceedingly dangerous, and God a just avenger of wrong, with which we should be affected in singing this psalm.
To the chief musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David.
Cross-references: Ps 58:1 · Ps 58:6 · Ps 58:10 · Ps 58:11