Psalm 58

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
    Do you judge people with equity?
No, in your heart you devise injustice,
    and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
Even from birth the wicked go astray;
    from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
    like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
    however skillful the enchanter may be.
Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!
Let them vanish like water that flows away;
    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
    like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
    whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.
The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
    when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
Then people will say,
    “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
    surely there is a God who judges the earth.”

• Psalm 58:1-11

Type of Psalm

Didactic psalms: These psalms are psalms that are intended to teach.  In most cases the psalm instructs us in moral principles.

Imprecatory psalms: Asking for vengeance against enemies.  From the two examples above, these requests for vengeance are usually not specific in how God does it.  I have written about this type of psalm or prayer in that they are legitimate requests to God.  We know that God will eventually stamp out all evil in the world.  Praying that God would do as He promises that He will eventually do is legitimate, but when a face is applied to that evil, our first reaction should be one of forgiveness and mercy.

Matthew Henry’s Summary

“It is the probable conjecture of some (Amyraldus particularly) that before Saul began to persecute David by force of arms, and raised the militia to seize him, he formed a process against him by course of law, upon which he was condemned unheard, and attainted as a traitor, by the great council, or supreme court of judicature, and then proclaimed ‘qui caput gerit lupinum—an outlawed wolf,’ whom any man might kill and no man might protect. The elders, in order to curry favour with Saul, having passed this bill of attainder, it is supposed that David penned this psalm on the occasion. I. He describes their sin, and aggravates that, ver. 1-5. II. He imprecates and foretels their ruin, and the judgments which the righteous God would bring upon them for their injustice (ver. 6-9) which would redound, 1. To the comfort of the saints, ver. 10. 2. To the glory of God, ver. 11. Sin appears here both exceedingly sinful and exceedingly dangerous, and God a just avenger of wrong, with which we should be affected in singing this psalm.”

• Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

Psalm 58:4 Their poison “The words and actions of these tyrants are like poisonous venom in a serpent’s fangs. deaf cobra. Like a cobra which cannot hear its charmer are these stubborn rulers, who ignore all encouragements to righteousness.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

My Thoughts

This is a psalm of David, and he asked if there is justice or equity.  The answer is no.

Then he likens the wicked to a snake, a cobra that is blind and strikes at random, immune to the song of the charmer.

Then this psalm gets a bit colorful with a couple of imprecatory verses.  To carry on the theme of the snake, he wants the fangs to break.  When they draw the bow, he wants the arrows to fall short.  He wants them to be like the slug that melts away.  But then he gets a bit graphic with being like a stillborn that never sees the sun.

The first three are almost comical.  The last request will come to pass when Christ returns, and death and sin are cast into the lake of fire.  From that moment on it will be like they never existed.  But we will still understand that Jesus saved us, and our gratitude will hold no bounds.

But then he ends with having people see the righteous dip their feet in the blood of the wicked, so that everyone will know that the righteous are rewarded.

You may think this psalm blood thirsty, vindictive, and not nice, but have you been wronged greatly by people who were abusing you for your own good?

We are called to forgive, but if God allows us to see them cast into the lake of fire, then God’s justice is being meted out.  We will agree with His justice, for we will understand at that time.  But if our tormentor was saved, all will be righted.

Psalm 59

Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
    be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
Deliver me from evildoers
    and save me from those who are after my blood.
See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!
You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.
They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
See what they spew from their mouths—
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”
But you laugh at them, Lord;
    you scoff at all those nations.
You are my strength, I watch for you;
    you, God, are my fortress,
    my God on whom I can rely.
God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
But do not kill them, Lord our shield,
    or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.
For the sins of their mouths,
    for the words of their lips,
    let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
    consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.
They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
They wander about for food
    and howl if not satisfied.
But I will sing of your strength,
    in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
    my refuge in times of trouble.
You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
    you, God, are my fortress,
    my God on whom I can rely.

• Psalm 59:1-17

Type of Psalm

Psalms of Affliction: Psalms where the psalmist is crying out in pain or distress, asking God where He is in the psalmist’s time of need.  But no matter how dire the circumstances or how long the lament, there seems to always be a word of praise.  Otherwise, why do we go to God in such times, other than to recognize Him as the only one who can help us?

Imprecatory psalms: Asking for vengeance against enemies.  From the two examples above, these requests for vengeance are usually not specific in how God does it.  I have written about this type of psalm or prayer in that they are legitimate requests to God.  We know that God will eventually stamp out all evil in the world.  Praying that God would do as He promises that He will eventually do is legitimate, but when a face is applied to that evil, our first reaction should be one of forgiveness and mercy.

Matthew Henry’s Summary

“This psalm is of the same nature and scope with six or seven foregoing psalms; they are all filled with David’s complaints of the malice of his enemies and of their cursed and cruel designs against him, his prayers and prophecies against them, and his comfort and confidence in God as his God. The first is the language of nature, and may be allowed; the second of a prophetical spirit, looking forward to Christ and the enemies of his kingdom, and therefore not to be drawn into a precedent; the third of grace and a most holy faith, which ought to be imitated by every one of us. In this psalm, I. He prays to God to defend and deliver him from his enemies, representing them as very bad men, barbarous, malicious, and atheistical, ver. 1-7. II. He foresees and foretels the destruction of his enemies, which he would give to God the glory of, ver. 8-17. As far as it appears that any of the particular enemies of God’s people fall under these characters, we may, in singing this psalm, read their doom and foresee their ruin.”

• Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

Psalm 59:6 : Growl like a dog ”Dogs of the ancient world were often wild scavengers. Here, they serve as a simile for the messengers of Saul outside David’s house setting an ambush.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

My Thoughts

Just as in Psalm 58, David is being tormented by fierce men.  But this time, it is men sent by Saul to kill him.  The requests are far from blood thirsty.  In fact, the imprecatory verse plead that David does not wish for them to be killed.  Uprooted?  Yes.  Brought down?  Yes. But they are only carrying out the will of another.

So, there is a flow of mercy, but David definitely wants the threat on his life to go away.  Sometimes, when it is personal, we want to see the blood, but I think I would not like seeing my enemy’s blood regardless.  But in wartime, that kind of thing happens.  A great deal of training is spent in the military to have them pull the trigger without hesitation.  Hesitating means you and your buddy next to you could both be dead.  But when your enemies are people that you know, the words are not as harsh.

If you did not like Psalm 58, you may not have ever been at war or been wronged severely, but the contrast with these psalms side by side can give you a stark difference in how one’s emotions can change just with a little familiarity with the enemy.

Psalm 60

You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us;
    you have been angry—now restore us!
You have shaken the land and torn it open;
    mend its fractures, for it is quaking.
You have shown your people desperate times;
    you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner
    to be unfurled against the bow.
Save us and help us with your right hand,
    that those you love may be delivered.
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah is my scepter.
Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?
Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.
With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.

• Psalm 60:1-12

Type of Psalm

Psalms of Affliction: Psalms where the psalmist is crying out in pain or distress, asking God where He is in the psalmist’s time of need.  But no matter how dire the circumstances or how long the lament, there seems to always be a word of praise.  Otherwise, why do we go to God in such times, other than to recognize Him as the only one who can help us?

Matthew Henry’s Summary

“After many psalms which David penned in a day of distress this comes which was calculated for a day of triumph; it was penned after he was settled in the throne, upon occasion of an illustrious victory which God blessed his forces with over the Syrians and Edomites; it was when David was in the zenith of his prosperity, and the affairs of his kingdom seem to have been in a better posture then ever they were either before or after. See 2 Sam. 8:3, 13; 1 Chron. 18:3, 12. David, in prosperity, was as devout as David in adversity. In this psalm, I. He reflects upon the bad state of the public interests, for many years, in which God had been contending with them, ver. 1-3. II. He takes notice of the happy turn lately given to their affairs, ver. 4. III. He prays for the deliverance of God’s Israel from their enemies, ver. 5. IV. He triumphs in hope of their victories over their enemies, and begs of God to carry them on and complete them, ver.6-12. In singing this psalm we may have an eye both to the acts of the church and to the state of our own souls, both which have their struggles.”

• Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

Psalm 60:5 Beloved … me “Better Hebrew Manuscripts have ‘us’ rather than ‘me’. Beloved refers to God’s beloved people ruled over by David.’”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

My Thoughts

Joab has just killed many Edomites, but David starts this psalm with God having forgotten them.  David wants God to wash them clean after a bloody battle.

David praises the tribes who fought valiantly.

He speaks of Moab being his washbasin. Philistia has been defeated.  But Edom, he tosses his sandal.  Removing a shoe and tossing it at someone in the Middle East is a high insult, even today.

But the point of this psalm is in the opening words and the ending words.

There is at least one fortified city that remains, but it seems God has lifted his protection.  They are vulnerable.  David does not wish to attack.  Indeed, he knows he will fail without God supporting the army in the battle.

His final plea is for God to return to them so that their enemies can be completely destroyed.

If we look at sin, and not the faces of people made in God’s image, we can be equally blood thirsty.  And someday, God will cast sin into the lake of fire.

Our real enemy will then be utterly destroyed.

Some Serendipitous Reflections

Psalm 58

“1. What social injustice or tyranny gets you stirred up? Why? How is that reflected in your prayers?
“2. Could you use the cries for vengeance in verses 6-9 as your own? Why or why not?
“3. Compare this psalm with Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:33-36. When are such words appropriate today?
“4. What can the group do to help bring justice in the community?”

• Lyman Coleman, et al, The NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups

Psalm 59

“1. How should we pray for criminals or those who persecute God’s people? How do you balance hatred of evil with love for enemies?
“2. How would you relate this psalm to the New Testament teaching that suffering is redemptive (see 1Pe 4:12-13; Col 1:24)?
“3. David could easily have become a cynic: Why didn’t he? How could David’s use of joyful worship be your freedom from cynicism?”

Psalm 60

“1. Have you ever felt in ‘retreat’ (scattered, unorganized}? What serves as God’s rallying banner for you?
“2. What ‘Edom’ is attacking you now from your blind side? What lesson in this psalm can help you face problems head on?
“3. When you pray, do you address God indirectly or as ‘You’?
“4. How are the battles that Christians have to face different from the wars of God’s Old Testament people? How are they similar?”

There is one set of questions for each of these psalms.

Substitute whatever group for any reference to a small group or ask who could come to your aid.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.