THE *BOOK OF
PSALMS.

Psalm 58

1David reproving wicked judges, 3describeth the nature of the wicked, 6and devoteth them to God's judgments, 10whereat the righteous shall rejoice.


0To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, 1Michtam of David.

1 See Psalm 16 in the title.

1DO ye indeed speak righteousness, O 2congregation? do ye judge 3uprightly, O ye 4sons of men?

2 Or, rout; understanding the assembly of king Saul’s judges or counselors, his council of war, who, instead of judging according to right and equity, stirred up Saul against innocent David with much bitterness; which is the reason why the Holy Spirit gives them such bad titles here.

3 Or, justnessess, as Psalm 9:8, etc.

4 Or, children of Adam.

2Yea, in heart ye 5work wickedness; ye 6weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.

5 Or, practice perverseness, basenessess, villainies.

6 Instead of keeping the balance of your judgments even (as ye ought), you consider injustice to oppress the innocent.

3The wicked are 7estranged from the womb: they go 8astray as soon as they be 9born, speaking lies.

7 Namely, from God; and are of an evil character which they could not put off or leave off. Compare Isa. 48:8.

8 In evil ways, not entering the right way.

9 That is, of mother; the word is elsewhere expressed, see Num. 12:12; Judges 16:17. Compare with Job 1:21; 3:10; 31:18.

4Theira poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;

a Psalm 140:3.

510Which will not hearken to the voice of 11charmers, 12charming never so 13wisely.

10 Or, that doth not hear.

11 Hebr. properly: mumblers, in regard that the sorcerers and conjurers speak and mumble within their mouths.

12 Hebr. coupling couplings, as Deut. 18:11. These abominations are by no means allowed by the Holy Spirit, as appears in Deut. 18:10, 11, 12, but is only applied here by way of similitude to represent more lively the stubbornness and incorrigibleness of the enemies of David and of all the godly. Thus the similitude of a thief is used in Rev. 16:15, etc., of the unrighteous judge in Luke 18:1, 2, 6, 7, of the unfaithful steward in Luke 16, etc.

13 Or, learned, subtle, cunning. Hebr. made wise. Compare 2 Sam. 13 on verse 3.

6Break their 14teeth, O God, in their mouth: 15break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.

14 That is, their power to do mischief and to hurt the godly. See Job 29 on verse 17.

15 As one breaks and pulls down a building.

7Let them 16melt away as waters which run continually: when 17he 18bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as 19cut in pieces.

16 That is, vanish or run away as something that is melted. Other, They shall be rejected, they shall go away like water, etc., and so in the sequel.

17 Namely, every one of my wicked enemies. So also in the beginning of verse 9 and further in verse 10.

18 Hebr. shall he, or, he shall tread his arrows, that is, bend or tend his bow and lay his arrows upon it, so Psalm 64:3.

19 And consequently, blunt, so that they shall not be able to pierce or hurt. Other, let them be as corn-ears, or stubble, straw, that is, light and without force.

8As a snail which 20melteth, let 21every one of them pass away: like the 22untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

20 Hebr. a snail of melting.

21 All wicked enemies.

22 Or, miscarriage. See Job 3:16; Eccl. 6:3.

9Before your 23pots can 24feel the 25thorns, 26he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both 27living, and in his wrath.

23 The Hebrew word (as it is found here) has in Holy Scripture most of the time the signification of pots or kettles.

24 Hebr. observe, understand, that is, before they are thoroughly warm or heated and before they smell the fire, as we use to speak. Compare Judges 16:9; Jer. 17:8, etc.; Job 8 on verse 18. This may be so taken as if the prophet spoke it to the company of the wicked for terror, or to the godly for comfort: your pots, etc.

25 That is, the fire of the thorn bush, under which it is kindled. The meaning of this verse (which indeed is variously rendered, though the sense remain and the same) is, that God shall very suddenly and unexpectedly, like to a tempest or whirlwind, ruin and hurry the wicked away ere they shall have wrought out their wicked practices. Compare Psalm 55:23.

26 God shall serve every one of these wicked ones in this manner, as on verse 7, or, that he him, etc., as praying and wishing that it might be so.

27 That is, very suddenly and unawares, as happened unto Korah, etc.; see also Psalm 55:15. Other, as well the raw as the burned, that is, as a great storm may seize on and carry away the fleshpots with all that is in it, whether raw and cold or hot, and so shall God, etc. Some read it thus: ere one shall feel your thorns (the dangerous plots and practices) being thorns of a thorn bush (that is, very sharp and prickly), shall he in a tempest hurry away, as well the fresh as the burned or withered (namely, thorn, that is, the one as well as the other, green and dry, old and young together). Compare 2 Sam. 23:6, 7.

10The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the 28vengeance: he shall 29wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

28 Of God, that is, His righteous judgment upon the wicked.

29 This implies the greatness of their defeat. Compare Psalm 68:23; Rev. 14:20.

11So that a man shall say, Verily there is a 30reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that 31judgeth in the earth.

30 That is, a comfortable issue and gracious retribution for those who fear God and suffer wrongfully for His Name; which is so sweet and acceptable to them as the sweetest fruit which they enjoy after all their toil and labor. Compare Heb. 12:11; James 3:18; Rev. 14:13, and see Prov. 1 on verse 31.

31 Hebr. Elohim Who judge. See hereof Gen. 20 on verse 13.