Chapter 58
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
2Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
3The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
4Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
5Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
6Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
7Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
8As 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.
9Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
10The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
“Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.”
Overview
Psalm 58 is a fierce psalm confronting corrupt rulers and judges. David asks if they indeed speak righteousness and judge uprightly, then declares they do not — in their hearts they work wickedness and weigh out violence in the earth. The wicked are estranged from the womb, going astray and speaking lies from birth. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent, like a deaf adder that stops her ear and refuses to hear the charmer's voice. David calls upon God to break their teeth, let them melt away, and consume them. The righteous shall rejoice when they see God's vengeance. 'Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.'
Key Themes
The Corruption of Earthly Judges
Those entrusted with justice have perverted it — their hands weigh out violence rather than equity, and their hearts devise wickedness.
The Venom of the Wicked
The wicked are compared to venomous serpents who are deaf to reason and correction — their destructive nature is deep-seated and willful.
God Judges the Earth
When human judges fail, the divine Judge remains — there is indeed a God who judges in the earth, and the righteous will be rewarded.
Study Questions
How should we understand the strong, even violent imagery of judgment in this psalm?
What does the comparison of the wicked to deaf serpents (vv. 4-5) teach about the nature of willful rebellion?
When earthly justice systems are corrupt, what hope does this psalm offer?
What does 'verily there is a reward for the righteous' (v. 11) mean in light of present injustice?
How do we pray this psalm while also following Christ's command to love our enemies?
Connection to Christ
Jesus confronted corrupt religious leaders with the same boldness this psalm expresses, calling them 'serpents' and 'generation of vipers' (Matthew 23:33). Christ is the righteous Judge who will set all things right. At the cross, He absorbed the venom of sin and broke the teeth of death and the devil, ensuring that justice will ultimately prevail.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Psalms 58. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?