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Psalms 58

BSB·11 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1Do you indeedהַֽאֻמְנָ֗םha·’um·nām — truly, in very deed, certainlyH552 — Full Word Study → speakתְּדַבֵּר֑וּןtə·ḏab·bê·rūn — to speak, say, or declareH1696 — Full Word Study → justlyצֶ֭דֶקṣe·ḏeq — Righteousness, justice, right standingH6664 — Full Word Study →, O rulersאֵ֣לֶם’ê·lem — Silence, muteness, or a silent assemblyH482 — Full Word Study →? Do you judgeתִּ֝שְׁפְּט֗וּtiš·pə·ṭū — to judge, govern, or execute justiceH8199 — Full Word Study → uprightlyמֵישָׁרִ֥יםmê·šā·rîm — Uprightness, righteousness, equityH4339 — Full Word Study →, O sonsבְּנֵ֣יbə·nê — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study → of menאָדָֽם׃’ā·ḏām — Man, mankind, human beingH120 — Full Word Study →? 2Noאַף־’ap̄- — Also, moreover, even, indeedH637 — Full Word Study →, in your heartsבְּלֵב֮bə·lêḇ — Heart; the center of emotion, will, and intellectH3820 — Full Word Study → you deviseתִּפְעָ֫ל֥וּןtip̄·‘ā·lūn — to do, work, make, performH6466 — Full Word Study → injusticeעוֹלֹ֪ת‘ō·w·lōṯ — Moral evil, wickedness, unrighteousnessH5766 — Full Word Study →; with your handsיְ֝דֵיכֶ֗םyə·ḏê·ḵem — hand; power, strength, controlH3027 — Full Word Study → you mete outתְּפַלֵּֽסֽוּן׃tə·p̄al·lê·sūn — to weigh, consider, ponder carefullyH6424 — Full Word Study → violenceחֲמַ֥סḥă·mas — Violence, cruelty, or wrongful harmH2555 — Full Word Study → on the earthבָּאָ֡רֶץbā·’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study →. 3The wickedרְשָׁעִ֣יםrə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study → are estrangedזֹ֣רוּzō·rū — to turn aside, be strange or foreignH2114 — Full Word Study → from the wombמֵרָ֑חֶםmê·rā·ḥem — womb; inner compassion; merciful tendernessH7358 — Full Word Study →; the liarsדֹּבְרֵ֥יdō·ḇə·rê — to speak, say, or declareH1696 — Full Word Study → go astrayתָּע֥וּtā·‘ū — to stray, wander, or go astrayH8582 — Full Word Study → from birthמִ֝בֶּ֗טֶןmib·be·ṭen — belly; womb; interior of the bodyH990 — Full Word Study →. 4Their venomחֲמַת־ḥă·maṯ- — Intense rage, burning wrath, divine angerH2534 — Full Word Study → is like the venomחֲמַת־ḥă·maṯ- — Intense rage, burning wrath, divine angerH2534 — Full Word Study → of a snakeנָחָ֑שׁnā·ḥāš — serpent, snakeH5175 — Full Word Study →, likeכְּמוֹ־kə·mōw- — Like; according to; asH3644 — Full Word Study → a cobraפֶ֥תֶןp̄e·ṯen — cobra; venomous serpentH6620 — Full Word Study → that shutsחֵ֝רֵ֗שׁḥê·rêš — Deaf; unable to hearH2795 — Full Word Study → its earsאָזְנֽוֹ׃’ā·zə·nōw — Ear; the organ of hearing and listeningH241 — Full Word Study →, 5refusingלֹא־lō- — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → to hearיִ֭שְׁמַעyiš·ma‘ — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → the tuneלְק֣וֹלlə·qō·wl — voice, sound, or cryH6963 — Full Word Study → of the charmerמְלַחֲשִׁ֑יםmə·la·ḥă·šîm — to whisper, mutter, or speak in secretH3907 — Full Word Study → who skillfullyמְחֻכָּֽם׃mə·ḥuk·kām — to be wise; to act with wisdomH2449 — Full Word Study → weaves his spellחוֹבֵ֖רḥō·w·ḇêr — To join together, unite, form a bondH2266 — Full Word Study →. 6O Godאֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים’ĕlō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →, shatterהֲרָס־hă·rās- — To destroy, tear down, or overthrow completelyH2040 — Full Word Study → their teethשִׁנֵּ֥ימוֹšin·nê·mōw — Tooth; ivory; sharp edge; cragH8127 — Full Word Study → in their mouthsבְּפִ֑ימוֹbə·p̄î·mōw — Mouth; lips; edge; openingH6310 — Full Word Study →; O LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, tear outנְתֹ֣ץ׀nə·ṯōṣ — to tear down, demolish, destroyH5422 — Full Word Study → the fangsמַלְתְּע֥וֹתmal·tə·‘ō·wṯ — Tooth; molar or great toothH4459 — Full Word Study → of the lionsכְּ֝פִירִ֗יםkə·p̄î·rîm — Young lion; fierce strength and dangerH3715 — Full Word Study →. 7May they vanishיִמָּאֲס֣וּyim·mā·’ă·sū — to reject, despise, or spurn with contemptH3988 — Full Word Study → likeכְמוֹ־ḵə·mōw- — Like; according to; asH3644 — Full Word Study → waterמַ֭יִםma·yim — Water; liquid; fluidsH4325 — Full Word Study → that runs offיִתְהַלְּכוּ־yiṯ·hal·lə·ḵū- — to go, walk, travel, proceedH1980 — Full Word Study →; when they draw the bowיִדְרֹ֥ךְyiḏ·rōḵ — to tread, walk, or trample; to guide or leadH1869 — Full Word Study →, may their arrowsחִצּוֹḥiṣ·ṣō — Arrow; projectile weapon or shaftH2671 — Full Word Study → be bluntedיִתְמֹלָֽלוּ׃yiṯ·mō·lā·lū — to circumcise; to cut off; to destroyH4135 — Full Word Study →. 8Likeכְּמ֣וֹkə·mōw — Like; according to; asH3644 — Full Word Study → a slugשַׁ֭בְּלוּלšab·bə·lûl — snail; slow-moving creatureH7642 — Full Word Study → that dissolvesיַהֲלֹ֑ךְya·hă·lōḵ — to go, walk, travel, proceedH1980 — Full Word Study → in its slimeתֶּ֣מֶסte·mes — melting, dissolution, or liquefactionH8557 — Full Word Study →, like a woman’sאֵ֝֗שֶׁת’ê·šeṯ — Woman; wife; femaleH802 — Full Word Study → stillborn childנֵ֥פֶלnê·p̄el — miscarriage, untimely birth, abortionH5309 — Full Word Study →, may they neverבַּל־bal- — not, lest, nothingH1077 — Full Word Study → seeחָ֥זוּḥā·zū — to see, behold, perceive, or prophesyH2372 — Full Word Study → the sunשָֽׁמֶשׁ׃šā·meš — The sun; sunlight; dayH8121 — Full Word Study →. 9Beforeבְּטֶ֤רֶםbə·ṭe·rem — before, ere, prior to, not yetH2962 — Full Word Study → your potsסִּֽירֹתֵיכֶ֣םsî·rō·ṯê·ḵem — Cooking pot; hook; thornH5518 — Full Word Study → can feelיָבִ֣ינוּyā·ḇî·nū — To understand, discern, perceiveH995 — Full Word Study → the burning thorns— whether greenחַ֥יḥay — alive, living, lifeH2416 — Full Word Study → orכְּמוֹ־kə·mōw- — Like; according to; asH3644 — Full Word Study → dryחָ֝ר֗וֹןḥā·rō·wn — Burning anger, fierce wrathH2740 — Full Word Study →He will sweep them awayיִשְׂעָרֶֽנּוּ׃yiś·‘ā·ren·nū — to fear greatly; to tremble in terrorH8175 — Full Word Study →. 10The righteousצַ֭דִּיקṣad·dîq — Righteous, just person; one who is right with GodH6662 — Full Word Study → will rejoiceיִשְׂמַ֣חyiś·maḥ — To rejoice, be glad, make merryH8055 — Full Word Study → whenכִּי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → they seeחָזָ֣הḥā·zāh — to see, behold, perceive, or prophesyH2372 — Full Word Study → they are avengedנָקָ֑םnā·qām — Vengeance, retribution, or the avenging of a wrongH5359 — Full Word Study →; they will washיִ֝רְחַ֗ץyir·ḥaṣ — to wash or bathe the bodyH7364 — Full Word Study → their feetפְּעָמָ֥יוpə·‘ā·māw — time, occasion, or instance of occurrenceH6471 — Full Word Study → in the bloodבְּדַ֣םbə·ḏam — blood; life force; bloodshed; guiltH1818 — Full Word Study → of the wickedהָרָשָֽׁע׃hā·rā·šā‘ — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study →. 11Then menאָ֭דָם’ā·ḏām — Man, mankind, human beingH120 — Full Word Study → will sayוְיֹאמַ֣רwə·yō·mar — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study →, “There is surelyאַךְ־’aḵ- — Surely, certainly, only, neverthelessH389 — Full Word Study → a rewardפְּרִ֣יpə·rî — Fruit; produce; offspring; rewardH6529 — Full Word Study → for the righteousלַצַּדִּ֑יקlaṣ·ṣad·dîq — Righteous, just person; one who is right with GodH6662 — Full Word Study →! There isיֵשׁ־yêš- — there is, exists, has beingH3426 — Full Word Study → surelyאַ֥ךְ’aḵ — Surely, certainly, only, neverthelessH389 — Full Word Study → a Godאֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → who judgesשֹׁפְטִ֥יםšō·p̄ə·ṭîm — to judge, govern, or execute justiceH8199 — Full Word Study → the earthבָּאָֽרֶץ׃bā·’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study →!”
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 58
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Chapter Overview

Psalm 58 is a passionate imprecatory psalm—a prayer for God's judgment against the wicked and unjust. The psalmist confronts corrupt rulers and judges who pervert justice and speak lies rather than righteousness. This psalm acknowledges the deep depravity of the human heart apart from God and calls upon the Lord to execute His righteous judgment. While the language of judgment is intense, the psalm ultimately affirms God's sovereignty and vindicates His moral character by showing that wickedness will not go unpunished.

Verses 1–5: The Accusation of Injustice

The psalmist opens with a rhetorical question directed at corrupt judges and leaders: "Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation?" (v. 1). The answer is an emphatic no. These officials who are entrusted with upholding justice are instead working wickedness in their hearts (v. 2). They actively weigh and calculate violence, demonstrating premeditated malice rather than momentary sin.

Verses 3–5 describe the root cause of such corruption: the wicked are estranged from the womb, meaning they have been bent toward evil from birth. This echoes the biblical doctrine of original sin—we are all born with a sin nature. Their poison is likened to a serpent's venom (v. 4), evoking the serpent in Genesis who deceived humanity. Crucially, they are like a deaf adder that stoppeth her ear (v. 4), unwilling and unable to hear truth, wisdom, or correction. No amount of wise counsel can reach them because they have closed their ears to God's voice.

Application: This passage reminds us that sin is not merely outward behavior—it originates in a hardened heart. We must pray for spiritual ears to hear God's voice and remain humble before His word.

Verses 6–9: The Prayer for Divine Judgment

The psalmist now intercedes for God to intervene with decisive judgment. "Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth" (v. 6) is vivid imagery of rendering the wicked powerless—teeth represent the ability to bite, consume, and destroy. This is a prayer that God would disarm the violent.

Verses 7–8 employ poetic descriptions of judgment: the wicked shall melt away as waters, become like a snail that dissolves, or like an untimely birth that never sees the sun. These images convey complete dissolution and the elimination of their influence. Verse 9 depicts sudden, violent judgment (as with a whirlwind), emphasizing that God's justice is both thorough and inevitable.

While these verses sound harsh to modern ears, they express legitimate biblical principles: God hates wickedness, justice demands consequences, and the wicked will ultimately face judgment. The psalmist is not expressing personal revenge but calling upon the righteous Judge to fulfill His role. This is appropriately placed in prayer to God, not in human hands.

Application: When we face injustice, our calling is to intercede with God and trust His judgment rather than seek personal vengeance.

Verses 10–11: The Vindication of Righteousness

The final verses reveal the purpose of God's judgment: the righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance (v. 10). This is not schadenfreude but rather the satisfaction that justice has been served and God's moral order has been restored. The imagery of washing feet in blood signals complete victory and vindication.

Verse 11 states the ultimate conclusion: there is a reward for the righteous and there is a God that judgeth in the earth. This assures believers that righteousness matters, injustice will not prevail forever, and God is actively ruling and judging creation.

Application for Today

In a world where injustice often seems to triumph, Psalm 58 encourages us to remember God's ultimate sovereignty. We are called to pursue justice, speak truth, and refuse corruption—while trusting that God Himself is the final Judge. Our confidence rests not in our strength but in His character and His promise that wickedness will ultimately be judged and righteousness rewarded.

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