Psalm 58

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

58:1 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
58:2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
58:4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
58:5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
58:6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
58:7 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.
58:8 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.
58:9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
58:10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
58:11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.



Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
Everything King James Bible:Psalms

By Mary (Sidney) Herbert, Countess of Pembroke

And call ye this to utter what is just,
You that of justice hold the sovereign throne?
And call ye this to yield, O sons of dust,
To wronged brethren every man his own?
O no: it is your long malicious will
Now to the world to make by practice known,
With whose opression you the balance fill,
Just to yourselves, indifferent else to none.

But what could they, who even in birth declines,
From truth and right to lies and injuries?
To show the venom of their cancered mind
The adder's image scarcely can suffice;
Nay scarce the aspic may with them contend,
On whom the charmer all in vain applies
His skilful'st spells: ay missing of his end,
While she self-deaf and unaffected lies.

Lord, crack their teeth; Lod, crush these lions' jaws,
So let them sink as water in the sand.
When deadly bow their aiming fury draws,
Shiver the shaft ere past the shooter's hand.
So make them melt as the dishoused snail
Or as the embryo, whose vital band
Breaks ere it holds, and formless eyes do fail
To see the sun, though brought to lightful land.

O let their brood, a brood of springing thorns,
Be by untimely rooting overthrown,
Ere bushes waxed they push with pricking horns,
As fruits yet green are oft by tempest blown.
The good with gladness this revenge shall see,
And bathe his feet in blood of wicked one;
While all shall say: the just rewarded be;
There is a God that carves each his own.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 58

Overview:
Wicked Judges described and reproved. (1-5) A Prayer that they
may be disabled, and their ruin predicted. (6-11)

1-5 When wrong is done under the form of Law, it is worse than
any other; especially it is grievous to behold those who profess
to be children of God, joining together against any of his
people. We should thank the Lord for merciful restraints; we
should be more Earnest in seeking renewing Grace, more watchful
over ourselves, and more patient under the effects of fallen
nature in others. The corruption of their nature was the root of
bitterness. We may see in children the wickedness of the world
beginning. They go astray from God and their duty as soon as
possibly they can. And how soon will little children tell lies!
It is our duty to take pains to teach them, and above all,
earnestly to pray for converting Grace to make our children new
creatures. Though the Poison be within, much of it may be kept
from breaking forth to injure others. When the Saviour's words
are duly regarded, the Serpent becomes harmless. But those who
refuse to hear heavenly Wisdom, must perish miserably, for ever.

6-11 David prayed that the enemies of God's Church and people
might be disabled to do further mischief. We may, in Faith, pray
against the designs of the enemies of the Church. He foretells
their ruin. And who knows the power of God's Anger? The
victories of the Just One, in his own person and that of his
servants, over the enemies of Man's Salvation, produce a joy
which springs not from revenge, but from a view of the Divine
Mercy, Justice, and Truth, shown in the Redemption of the elect,
the Punishment of the ungodly, and the fulfilment of the
promises. Whoever duly considers these things, will diligently
seek the reward of Righteousness, and Adore the Providence which
orders all thing aright in Heaven and in Earth.