1 [[To the chief Musician, H5329 Altaschith, H516 Michtam H4387 of David.]] H1732 Do ye indeed H552 speak H1696 righteousness, H6664 O congregation? H482 do ye judge H8199 uprightly, H4339 O ye sons H1121 of men? H120
2 Yea, in heart H3820 ye work H6466 wickedness; H5766 ye weigh H6424 the violence H2555 of your hands H3027 in the earth. H776
3 The wicked H7563 are estranged H2114 from the womb: H7358 they go astray H8582 as soon as they be born, H990 speaking H1696 lies. H3577
4 Their poison H2534 is like H1823 the poison H2534 of a serpent: H5175 they are like the deaf H2795 adder H6620 that stoppeth H331 her ear; H241
5 Which will not hearken H8085 to the voice H6963 of charmers, H3907 charming H2266 H2267 never so wisely. H2449
6 Break H2040 their teeth, H8127 O God, H430 in their mouth: H6310 break out H5422 the great teeth H4459 of the young lions, H3715 O LORD. H3068
7 Let them melt away H3988 as waters H4325 which run continually: H1980 when he bendeth H1869 his bow to shoot his arrows, H2671 let them be as cut in pieces. H4135
8 As a snail H7642 which melteth, H8557 let every one of them pass away: H1980 like the untimely birth H5309 of a woman, H802 that they may not see H2372 the sun. H8121
9 Before your pots H5518 can feel H995 the thorns, H329 he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, H8175 both living, H2416 and in his wrath. H2740
10 The righteous H6662 shall rejoice H8055 when he seeth H2372 the vengeance: H5359 he shall wash H7364 his feet H6471 in the blood H1818 of the wicked. H7563
11 So that a man H120 shall say, H559 Verily there is a reward H6529 for the righteous: H6662 verily he is H3426 a God H430 that judgeth H8199 in the earth. H776
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 58
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.).