The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 58
In brief
Psalm 58 is a song of David against the injustice of the powerful. It calls out judges who stay silent in the face of evil and whose hands weigh out violence, then describes their wickedness with images of a snake and young lions. David brings God very harsh prayers, which the Bible does not hide. Many see in it a cry that hands vengeance over to God, not an invitation to take revenge ourselves. The psalm ends with the conviction that there is a God who judges on the earth.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?
2No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
4Their poison is like the poison of a snake, like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,
5which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.
6Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh.
7Let them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.
8Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.
9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.
10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
11so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”
Key verses
Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?
David asks the judges a question: do you really judge with righteousness? Silence in the face of injustice is condemned here as a fault.
Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh.
The request is violent. In the Christian tradition it is read as a prayer that hands judgment over to God, within the framework of the law of that time, before Jesus taught love for enemies.
The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
The picture of the righteous rejoicing is harsh, and believers understand it in different ways. It expresses above all the end of injustice and the relief of its victims, rather than joy at someone's suffering.
so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”
The conclusion sums up the psalm: righteousness is rewarded, and there is a God who judges on the earth. It is the hope of those who do not get justice here below.
Bible verses to meditate on
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Frequently asked questions about Psalm 58
What does Psalm 58 mean?
Psalm 58 denounces unjust judges and calls on God to step in. David brings his anger at injustice to God instead of taking justice into his own hands. It ends with the certainty that there is a God who judges on the earth and that the righteous will be rewarded.
How should we understand the violent prayers of Psalm 58?
Christians do not all read them the same way. Some see poetic language and a prayer that leaves justice to God. Others remind us that Jesus asked us to love our enemies and pray for them. In every case, these verses do not justify personal revenge.
How can I pray with Psalm 58?
Use it to bring to God an injustice you have suffered or know about. Tell him your anger honestly, then hand the judgment over to him. Read verse 11 again to affirm that he is a God who judges, and ask him to keep you from bitterness.
World English Bible translation — public domain.