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Psalm 58

Psalm 58 is a psalm of David that expresses frustration and anger against unjust rulers who perpetuate wickedness. David calls on God to judge these corrupt leaders and bring justice. The psalm reflects a plea for divine intervention and a longing for righteousness to triumph over evil.

Psalm 58:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?
Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
2 No, in heart you work wickedness;
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

David questions the rulers, accusing them of failing to speak or act righteously. Though they are tasked with judging fairly, their hearts are filled with wickedness, and they distribute violence across the land instead of justice. This opening sets the tone for the psalm, emphasizing David’s frustration with the moral decay of leadership.

Psalm 58:3-5 (NKJV)
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 cobra that stops its ear,
5 Which will not heed the voice of charmers,
Charming ever so skillfully.

David portrays the wicked as corrupt from birth, indicating that their evil actions are not just occasional but ingrained in their nature. Their words are compared to the deadly venom of a serpent, highlighting the harm they cause. Like a deaf cobra, they are immune to correction, refusing to listen to those who try to lead them toward the right path.

Psalm 58:6-8 (NKJV)
6 Break their teeth in their mouth, O God!
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
7 Let them flow away as waters which run continually;
When he bends his bow,
Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.
8 Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes,
Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

David prays for God to render the wicked powerless, asking that their ability to harm be taken away, symbolized by breaking their teeth. He wishes for their destruction, comparing them to water that vanishes or a snail that melts away. These vivid metaphors reflect David’s intense desire for divine justice against those who cause suffering.

Psalm 58:9-11 (NKJV)
9 Before your pots can feel the burning thorns,
He shall take them away as with a whirlwind,
As in His living and burning wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 So that men will say,
“Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who judges in the earth.”

David anticipates that God's judgment will come swiftly, like a whirlwind consuming the wicked. He envisions the righteous rejoicing when justice is served, even describing a grim picture of their triumph. The closing verse emphasizes that God's judgment will serve as a testimony to the world, affirming that there is a reward for righteousness and that God is indeed the just judge over all.

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