Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Psalms 58
Psalm 58:1-2Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly? No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.
Psalm 58:6O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, Lord.
Psalm 58:11Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.”
The psalm concludes with a powerful statement of faith, affirming that God's ultimate judgment will serve as a public sign that righteousness is rewarded and He is actively judging the world.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Lawsuit Against Corrupt Leaders
This psalm is what's known as an 'imprecatory' psalm, which is a prayer calling for judgment on one's enemies. David is not merely venting his anger. He is formally appealing to the highest court in the universe - God's heavenly throne. He acts as a prosecutor, laying out a case against earthly judges who have become corrupt. Their failure to protect the innocent has created a crisis that only divine intervention can solve.
A Desperate Plea for Divine Intervention
After presenting the evidence of their wickedness, David's prayer shifts to a series of intense and graphic requests for God to act. He uses powerful metaphors - a broken-toothed lion, vanishing water, a melting snail - to ask God to completely remove the wicked's ability to do harm. This is not a wish for revenge. It is a desperate plea for the destructive power of evil to be brought to a swift and permanent end, reflecting the severity of the injustice.
An Appeal to the Ultimate Judge
Psalm 58 unfolds like a dramatic courtroom scene. The psalmist steps forward to confront the 'gods' - a term for powerful human judges and rulers - who are failing at their most basic duty. The atmosphere is charged with moral outrage, as the very systems meant to ensure fairness have become sources of violence. This sets the stage for a bold and desperate appeal to the only truly righteous Judge: God himself.
The Accusation (Psalm 58:1-2)
1 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.
Commentary:
David accuses powerful leaders of deliberately choosing injustice and violence over righteousness.
The Nature of the Wicked (Psalm 58:3-5)
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers or of the cunning enchanter.
Commentary:
The wicked are described as inherently corrupt and willfully deaf to any call for truth or justice.
The Cry for Judgment (Psalm 58:6-9)
6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, Lord.
7 Let them vanish like water that runs away; when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted.
8 Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime, like the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns - whether green or ablaze - may he sweep them away!
Commentary:
David uses graphic metaphors to plead with God to completely destroy the power of the wicked.
The Vindication of the Righteous (Psalm 58:10-11)
10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.”
Commentary:
The psalm ends with confidence that God's judgment will bring joy to the righteous and prove His justice to the world.
The Unwavering Reality of Divine Justice
The Accountability of Human Power
Psalm 58 makes it clear that no earthly authority is absolute. It serves as a powerful reminder that all leaders, judges, and rulers are ultimately accountable to God for how they wield their power and are called to reflect His standard of justice.
Honest Prayer in the Face of Evil
The psalm's harsh language, known as imprecation, models a brutally honest form of prayer. It teaches that instead of seeking personal revenge, we should bring our outrage and pain over injustice directly to God, trusting Him to be the one who sets things right.
God as the Ultimate Judge
The core confidence of this psalm rests on the belief that God sees all injustice and will not let it stand forever. It affirms that even when human systems fail completely, God's judgment is the final, decisive word that brings order to a chaotic world.
Living Faithfully in an Unjust World
Psalm 58 encourages you not to become cynical or silent, but to bring the injustice before God in honest prayer. It validates your righteous anger and shows you how to channel it into an appeal for divine action. You are called to entrust the situation to the ultimate Judge, asking Him to intervene and restore what is right.
This psalm shows that it is right to long for God's justice to be done, even when that means judgment for those causing immense harm. The key is that you are asking God to be the judge, not taking vengeance into your own hands, as verse 6 demonstrates. It's about desiring a world set right by God's standards, not personal revenge.
When evil seems to be winning and corrupt leaders appear untouchable, Psalm 58 anchors your hope in a greater reality. It reminds you that what you see is not the final word. The confident declaration in verse 11, 'surely there is a God who judges on earth,' provides strength to endure, knowing that perfect justice is ultimately in His hands.
God's Justice Will Ultimately Prevail
Psalm 58 is a raw and honest cry from a world deeply wounded by injustice. It confronts the painful reality of corrupt power and gives us permission to be angry about evil. The message is that our outrage is valid, and our ultimate appeal must be to the perfect Judge who sees all and will not let wickedness stand forever. It is a prayer of defiant faith that God's justice will ultimately silence the violence of the wicked and vindicate those who trust in Him.
What This Means for Us Today
Psalm 58 invites us to be completely honest with God about the pain and anger we feel toward injustice in the world. It gives us permission to cry out for His intervention, entrusting the timing and method of justice entirely to Him. This psalm challenges us to hold fast to the hope that God is a righteous judge who will one day make all things right.
- What specific injustice in the world can you bring to God in prayer today, using the honesty of this psalm as a model?
- How can you work for justice in your own sphere of influence while still trusting God with the ultimate outcome?
- Where in your life do you need to be reminded that 'surely there is a God who judges on earth'?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This psalm, written while David was hiding from his enemies, is a cry for mercy that transitions into confident praise, setting a tone of trust in God amidst danger.
Continuing the theme, this is another prayer for deliverance from violent foes, where David affirms God as his fortress and source of strength.
Connections Across Scripture
This verse clarifies the principle behind imprecatory psalms, instructing believers to leave vengeance to God because He is the one who repays.
Like Psalm 58, this passage contains a prophetic judgment against unjust rulers and lawmakers who oppress the poor and vulnerable.
This passage describes the rejoicing in heaven over God's righteous judgment, echoing the theme in Psalm 58:10 where the righteous rejoice when justice is done.
Discussion Questions
- How do we balance the New Testament call to 'love your enemies' with the raw prayers for judgment we see in Psalm 58?
- In what areas of our world today do we see leaders or systems that 'devise wrongs' and 'deal out violence,' and how does this psalm guide our prayerful response?
- Verse 11 says people will see God's judgment and declare, 'Surely there is a God who judges on earth.' Why is the public display of God's justice so important for the faith of the community?
Glossary
figures
gods
A term used here to refer to powerful human beings, such as judges or rulers, who were expected to administer justice on God's behalf.
charmer
A snake charmer, someone who uses music or incantations to control serpents, used here as a metaphor for someone trying to reason with the willfully wicked.