For the director of music. To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy’.
Of David. A miktam.
1
Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge people with equity?
2
No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
3
Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4
Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5
that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skilful the enchanter may be.
6
Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!
7
Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
8
May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
9
Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns –
whether they be green or dry – the wicked will be swept away.
10
The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11
Then people will say,
‘Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth.’
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READING
Psalm Fifty Eight
Read by David Suchet
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OVERVIEWS
Psalms - Overviews
(The Bible Project)
The Book of Psalms
(The Bible Project)
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STUDY - LINKS
How Should You Read the Psalms?
- John Piper -
Prayer in the Psalms:
Discovering How to Pray
Timothy Keller
Psalm 58 | Rulers Who Are Silent at Injustice |
-=-=-=-
Psalms part 1
-Study by David Pawson-
Psalms Part 2
-Study by David Pawson
https://youtu.be/hQJNMgIHVKwSONGS
-=-=-=-=-
Psalms - R C Sproul
https://www.youtube.com/@ligonier/search?query=psalm 51
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SONGS
Though You Slay Me –
Shane & Shane featuring John Piper
He will hold me fast by Shane and Shane
When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
I could never keep my hold
Through life's fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast
Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast
He'll not let my soul be lost
His promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast
For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
Till our faith is turned to sight
When he comes at last
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast..
1 comment:
Born That Way? (Wrestling with Psalm 58)
Psalm 58 is not an easy read. As we read and discussed it at MiddayWord today, I found myself unsettled — not just by the vivid imagery of judgement, but by the emotional tone. Are we really meant to rejoice in such harsh justice? Is there no space for mercy, or must we simply accept that “war is war” and some people deserve no sympathy?
But what troubled me most was verse 3:
“Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.”
Is the psalm saying some people are evil from birth — fated to lie, harm, and destroy? Just a few minutes ago, as I turned things over in my mind, I recalled watching the 1983 movie Trading Places, where two men’s lives are reversed as part of a cruel social experiment — a classic exploration of the nature-versus-nurture debate. And more to the point, is there room for redemption?
I believe the answer lies in understanding this verse as poetry, not prescription. It’s neither a scientific statement nor a theological doctrine. It’s a passionate cry from someone who has suffered deep betrayal and injustice — someone who sees evil so deeply ingrained in others that it feels like it has always been there. This is emotional exaggeration used in lament — and it should be read with that tone in mind.
It is also worth remembering that the broader truth of Scripture tells us no one is beyond God’s reach. The apostle Paul, once a violent persecutor, becomes the great apostle of grace. The point is not that people are born evil and unredeemable — but that evil can run deep, and only God’s justice and mercy can uproot it.
So this troubling Psalm doesn’t ask us to become heartless or vengeful. It invites us to be honest about injustice, bold in our prayers, and humble before the God who judges rightly. And it reminds us that while evil is real, so is redemption.
Lord,
When we come across psalms like this, keep us humble.
You alone are the Judge, not us.
Help us long for justice without losing tenderness.
Teach us to trust You with what we cannot fix,
and to pray boldly for truth to prevail.
In our Lord Jesus’ name, Amen.
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