1 <To the chief music-maker; put to Al-tashheth. Michtam. Of David.> Is there righteousness in your mouths, O you gods? are you upright judges, O you sons of men?
2 The purposes of your hearts are evil; your hands are full of cruel doings on the earth.
3 The evil-doers are strange from the first; from the hour of their birth they go out of the true way, saying false words.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a snake; they are like the adder, whose ears are shut;
5 Who will not be moved by the voice of the wonder-worker, however great are his powers.
6 O God, let their teeth be broken in their mouths; let the great teeth of the young lions be pulled out, O Lord.
7 Let them be turned to liquid like the ever-flowing waters; let them be cut off like the grass by the way.
8 Let them be like an after-birth which is turned to water and comes to an end; like the fruit of a woman who gives birth before her time, let them not see the sun.
9 Before they are conscious of it, let them be cut down like thorns; let a strong wind take them away like waste growth.
10 The upright man will be glad when he sees their punishment; his feet will be washed in the blood of the evil-doer.
11 So that men will say, Truly there is a reward for righteousness; truly there is a God who is judge on the earth.
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Commentary on Psalms 58 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 58
Ps 58:1-11. David's critical condition in some period of the Sauline persecution probably occasioned this Psalm, in which the Psalmist teaches that the innate and actual sinfulness of men deserves, and shall receive, God's righteous vengeance, while the pious may be consoled by the evidence of His wise and holy government of men.
1. O congregation—literally, "Oh, dumb"; the word used is never translated "congregation." "Are ye dumb? ye should speak righteousness," may be the translation. In any case, the writer remonstrates with them, perhaps a council, who were assembled to try his cause, and bound to give a right decision.
2. This they did not design; but
weigh … violence—or give decisions of violence. Weigh is a figure to express the acts of judges.
in the earth—publicly.
3-5. describe the wicked generally, who sin naturally, easily, malignantly, and stubbornly.
4. stoppeth her—literally, "his."
ear—that is, the wicked man (the singular used collectively), who thus becomes like the deaf adder which has no ear.
6. He prays for their destruction, under the figure of ravenous beasts (Ps 3:7; 7:2).
7. which run continually—literally, "they shall go to themselves," utterly depart, as rapid mountain torrents.
he bendeth … his arrows—prepares it. The term for preparing a bow applied to arrows (Ps 64:3).
let them … pieces—literally, "as if they cut themselves off"—that is, become blunted and of no avail.
8, 9. Other figures of this utter ruin; the last denoting rapidity. In a shorter time than pots feel the heat of thorns on fire—
9. he shall take them away as with a whirlwind—literally, "blow him (them) away."
both living … wrath—literally, "as the living" or fresh as the heated or burning—that is, thorns—all easily blown away, so easily and quickly the wicked. The figure of the "snail" perhaps alludes to its loss of saliva when moving. Though obscure in its clauses, the general sense of the passage is clear.
10, 11. wash … wicked—denoting great slaughter. The joy of triumph over the destruction of the wicked is because they are God's enemies, and their overthrow shows that He reigneth (compare Ps 52:5-7; 54:7). In this assurance let heaven and earth rejoice (Ps 96:10; 97:1, &c.).