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Psalms Chapter 58 (ASV)

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Psalm 58: A Rebuke of Unjust Judges
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1 Do ye indeed in silence speak righteousness? Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?

2 Nay, in heart ye work wickedness; Ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: `They are' like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear,

5 Which hearkeneth not to the voice of charmers, Charming never so wisely.

6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: Break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah.

7 Let them melt away as water that runneth apace: When he aimeth his arrows, let them be as though they were cut off.

8 `Let them be' as a snail which melteth and passeth away, `Like' the untimely birth of a woman, that hath not seen the sun.

9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, He will take them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.

10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;

11 So that men shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth. Psalm 59 For the Chief Musician; `set to' Al-tashheth. `A Psalm' of David. Michtam; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Psalm 58 accuse?
Psalm 58 accuses corrupt judges of injustice from birth -- 'The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies' (v.3) -- and calls for God to break their power, ending with confidence that 'there is a reward for the righteous' (v.11).
What vivid images does the psalm use for the wicked?
It compares them to a deaf snake that won't listen to charmers (vv.4-5) and asks God to make them melt away 'as waters which run continually' or vanish 'like the untimely birth of a woman' (vv.7-8).
How does the psalm conclude?
It concludes that watching justice done will prove 'there is a reward for the righteous... a God that judgeth in the earth' (v.11), a confidence in God's righteous judgment shared with Psalms 67:4.

Today's Verse

And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.

Exodus 7:24 | ASV

Verse Of The Day

David asks God to break their strength like teeth in a lion's mouth so the righteous can say 'there is a reward for the righteous,' a vindication echoed at Psalms 67:4. The prayer for justice continues in Psalms 59.