1 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
8 As 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.
9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
Psalm 58, also known as "Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation?", is a powerful and complex chapter in the Book of Psalms from the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible. The psalm is a lamentation and an imprecation of the wicked, composed by David, an important figure in the Bible. It is a profound exploration of the human condition, the nature of evil, and the divine justice that awaits the wicked. This essay aims to delve into the depths of Psalm 58, uncovering its main themes and the meanings it brings to its readers.
The first part of Psalm 58 is a lamentation of the wicked, with David expressing his distress at their actions. He questions whether they can truly claim to be righteous while committing acts of wickedness, an accusation targeting those who are corrupt in their hearts but wear a facade of righteousness. This theme of false righteousness is a recurrent one in the Bible and is expressed poignantly in Psalm 58.
"Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth." (Psalm 58:1-2, KJV). This passage underscores the duplicity of the wicked, who outwardly appear righteous but are inwardly corrupt. It is a powerful indictment of hypocrisy and deceit, two traits that are repeatedly condemned in the Bible.
In the subsequent verses, David describes the wicked in vivid and striking terms. He portrays them as venomous serpents, an image that conveys their profound depravity. The serpent, a symbol of deceit and malevolence in the Bible, is an apt metaphor for the wicked who, like the serpent, are full of venom and refuse to hear the voice of the charmer, no matter how skillfully he plays.
"The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely." (Psalm 58:3-5, KJV). This passage underscores the inherent depravity of the wicked, who are depicted as being evil from birth. The use of the serpent metaphor reinforces this notion of inherent evilness, as it harks back to the Genesis narrative where the serpent tempts Eve into committing the original sin.
The second part of Psalm 58 is a call for divine retribution against the wicked. David asks God to intervene and dispense justice, to break the teeth of the wicked and sweep them away like water. This is a powerful image of divine wrath and justice, and it underlines the belief in a God who is not only merciful but also just and righteous.
"Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces." (Psalm 58:6-7, KJV). Here, David calls upon God to shatter the power of the wicked and bring them to ruin. This plea for divine retribution is a key theme in many of the Psalms, reflecting the belief in a God who is actively involved in the world and who will not let wickedness go unpunished.
The final verses of Psalm 58 express a firm belief in the ultimate triumph of righteousness. David asserts that the righteous will rejoice when they see the vengeance of God, and they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. This is a vivid, even shocking, image that underscores the severity of God's judgment and the joy of the righteous in seeing justice done.
"The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth." (Psalm 58:10-11, KJV). These verses are a powerful affirmation of the moral order of the universe, where righteousness is rewarded and wickedness is punished. They encapsulate the hope and faith of the righteous in a just God who will ultimately set all things right.
In conclusion, Psalm 58 is a profound exploration of the themes of wickedness, divine justice, and the triumph of righteousness. It is a lamentation of the wicked, a call for divine retribution, and a declaration of faith in the ultimate victory of good over evil. The psalm serves as a powerful reminder of the moral order of the universe, where evil is punished and righteousness is rewarded. It is a testament to the enduring faith in a just and righteous God, who sees all and judges all.
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