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Psalms Chapter 58 (BBE)

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Psalm 58: A Rebuke of Unjust Judges
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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.

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 Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast hotly pursued after me?

Genesis 31:36 | 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.