Psalms 58 -- Old Testament -- Gospel Daily

Psalms

Chapter 58

The Wicked Born to Speak Lies, God's Judgment Certain

The psalmist challenges a congregation, asking whether they speak righteousness and judge uprightly, for in their hearts they work wickedness and weigh violence of their hands. The wicked are estranged from the womb, going astray as soon as born, speaking lies. Their poison is like a serpent's poison; they are like a deaf adder that will not heed charming. The psalmist calls on God to break their teeth and melt them away like water. Before they can even act in their wickedness, God shall take them away as with a whirlwind. The righteous shall rejoice when they see vengeance, recognizing that there is a reward for the righteous and a God that judges in the earth.

Wickedness from birthGod breaks the wickedJudgment on evil workersRighteous rejoice in vengeance

¹Do 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.