Psalms 58 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
Psalm 58 KJV
- 1 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
- 2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
- 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be 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 will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
Psalms Chapter 58 continued
- 6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord.
- 7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
- 8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
- 9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
- 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
- 11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 58:11
Verse: וְיוֹדִיעוּ צַדִּיקִים כֹּחַ אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: V’yodiu tzaddikim koach Elohim
English: “The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance done; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.”
Focus Word: צַדִּיק (Tzaddik)
- Root: צ-ד-ק (Tsade-Dalet-Qof)
- Meaning: “Righteous one,” “just person.”
- Deeper Insight: Tzaddik denotes someone aligned with God’s moral standards, enjoying God’s vindication.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| אֵלֶם — elem | Verse 1 — “Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?” | “Silent one,” mute. | Elem (“silent”) exposes judicial failure (“silent ones”). It rebukes leaders who refuse to speak for justice. The word creates tension between expected righteousness and actual corruption. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| פֹעֲלֵי־אָוֶן — po’alei aven | Verse 2 — “…workers of iniquity…” | “Doers of injustice,” wicked laborers. | Po’alei Aven (“workers of evil”) depicts those actively producing wickedness (“workers of iniquity”). It signals deliberate moral corruption. The phrase intensifies the Psalmist’s accusation. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| חָמָס — chamas | Verse 2 — “…you weigh out the violence…” | “Violence,” wrong. | Chamas (“violence”) signifies unjust aggression (“violence”). It portrays moral brutality disguised as justice. The term exposes perverted authority. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| זָרוּ — zaru | Verse 3 — “The wicked are estranged from the womb…” | “To stray,” wander. | Zaru (“to stray”) describes deviation from birth (“estranged”). It highlights ingrained moral rebellion. The word emphasizes radical corruption. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| זָעַם — za’am | Verse 4 — “…with their poison like a serpent…” | “To foam,” be enraged. | Za’am (“rage/venom”) expresses fierce hostility (“poison”). It portrays wickedness as venomous. The term deepens the Psalm’s dangerous imagery. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| חֲבֶרֶת — chaveret | Verse 4 — “…like the deaf cobra…” | “Snake/serpent,” poisonous creature. | Chaveret (“cobra”) symbolizes deceit and treachery (“serpent”). It reveals willful resistance to truth. The word heightens the Psalm’s metaphorical force. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| שָׁפַךְ — shafakh | Verse 7 — “Let them vanish like water…” | “To pour,” spill. | Shafakh (“to pour”) evokes dissolution (“pour out”). It expresses desire for the wicked’s influence to dissolve. The term supports imagery of defeat. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
| מָאַס — ma’as | Verse 7 — “…let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.” | “To reject,” render useless. | Ma’as (“to reject”) conveys making weapons ineffective (“render useless”). It reflects divine thwarting of wicked schemes. The word expresses frustration of evil plans. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| נָפֵל — nafel | Verse 8 — “Let them be like a stillborn child…” | “To fall,” miscarry. | Nafel (“to fall/miscarry”) symbolizes abrupt end (“stillborn”). It intensifies imagery of termination of wickedness. The word heightens the Psalm’s dramatic impact. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| שָׁפָט — shafat | Verse 11 — “…surely there is a God who judges…” | “To judge,” execute justice. | Shafat (“to judge”) affirms divine justice (“judge”). It concludes with confidence in righteous judgment. The term assures moral accountability. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
Scholar (Institution & Dates) Work View on Psalm 58 John Calvin (University of Paris / Orléans, 1509–1564) Commentaries on the Psalms Calvin emphasizes God’s justice in punishing wicked rulers while upholding the righteous. Matthew Henry (Christ Church, Oxford, 1662–1714) Exposition of the Old and New Testament Notes that human corruption is evident, but God’s judgment ensures ultimate fairness. Richard Sibbes (Pembroke College, Cambridge, 1577–1635) The Bruised Reed Observes that the Psalm warns against oppression, showing that God sees all injustice. John Owen (University of Oxford, 1616–1683) A Commentary on the Psalms Highlights the necessity of divine intervention to curb persistent evil and preserve the godly. Thomas Manton (Christ’s College, Cambridge, 1620–1677) Exposition of the Psalms Observes that the Psalm calls believers to trust in God’s righteous judgments rather than seek vengeance themselves.
More On This Psalm: Commentary From Biblical Scholars
| Scholar | Paraphrase of the psalm |
|---|---|
| John Wycliffe (University of Oxford, 1320–1384, Commentary on the Psalms) | Wycliffe interprets the psalm as a cry against injustice, emphasizing that God sees the wrongdoing of the wicked and will act justly. |
| Jean Gerson (University of Paris, 1363–1429, Considerations on the Psalms) | The psalm, Gerson observes, portrays the anger of the righteous against corrupt leaders and the hope that God will protect the faithful. |
| Desiderius Erasmus (University of Cambridge, 1466–1536, Paraphrases on the Psalms) | Erasmus reflects that the psalm warns against evil speech and conduct, showing that God’s judgment is inevitable for those who oppress others. |
| Martin Luther (University of Wittenberg, 1483–1546, Lectures on the Psalms) | Luther sees the psalm as a declaration that the faithful can trust God to punish the wicked while giving strength to the righteous. |
| John Calvin (University of Paris, 1509–1564, Commentary on the Book of Psalms) | Calvin notes that the psalm emphasizes God’s justice and the certainty that evildoers cannot escape His judgment, while the righteous are sustained. |
Prayer: King of glory, thank You For All That You Are! Thank You, Father that You are always watching over us, taking care of us, defending us. Thank You, God, that You are my Deliverer, working mightily on my behalf to bring about Your will in and through my life, for it is You who cause me to will and do of Your good pleasure in Jesus' Name. King of Glory, I give you praise in Jesus' Name. Amen!
