Focused Passage

Psalms 58:1-5

The God Who Judges the Earth Against Unjust Rulers

Challenge to unjust rulers -> exposure of heart-planned violence -> description of congenital wickedness and deaf serpent-like deception -> prayer for God to break destructive power -> images of wickedness dissolved and swept away -> righteous vindication -> public confession that God judges the earth.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David.

1Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?

2No, in your hearts you devise injustice; with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.

3The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth.

4Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears,

5refusing to hear the tune of the charmer who skillfully weaves his spell.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Do you indeedהַֽאֻמְנָ֗םH552Conjunctionspeakתְּדַבֵּר֑וּןH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nunjustlyצֶ֭דֶקH6664Noun - masculine singularO rulersאֵ֣לֶםH482Noun - masculine singular constructDo you judgeתִּ֝שְׁפְּט֗וּH8199Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluraluprightlyמֵישָׁרִ֥יםH4339Noun - masculine pluralO sonsבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural constructof menאָדָֽם׃H120Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Miktam is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 16 and 56–60.
Verse 2

Original words

Noאַף־H637Conjunctionin your heartsבְּלֵב֮H3820Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularyou deviseתִּפְעָ֫ל֥וּןH6466Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nuninjusticeעוֹלֹ֪תH5766Noun - feminine pluralwith your handsיְ֝דֵיכֶ֗םH3027Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine pluralyou mete outתְּפַלֵּֽסֽוּן׃H6424Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nunviolenceחֲמַ֥סH2555Noun - masculine singular constructon the earthבָּאָ֡רֶץH776Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 3

Original words

The wickedרְשָׁעִ֣יםH7563Adjective - masculine pluralare estrangedזֹ֣רוּH2114Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfrom the wombמֵרָ֑חֶםH7358Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularthe liarsדֹּבְרֵ֥יH1696Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct. . .כָזָֽב׃H3577Noun - masculine singulargo astrayתָּע֥וּH8582Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfrom birthמִ֝בֶּ֗טֶןH990Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Their venomחֲמַת־H2534Noun - feminine singular construct-לָ֗מוֹPreposition | third person masculine plural[is] likeכִּדְמ֥וּתH1823Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singularthe venomחֲמַת־H2534Noun - feminine singular constructof a snakeנָחָ֑שׁH5175Noun - masculine singularlikeכְּמוֹ־H3644Prepositiona cobraפֶ֥תֶןH6620Noun - masculine singularthat shutsחֵ֝רֵ֗שׁH2795Adjective - masculine singular. . .יַאְטֵ֥םH331Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularits earsאָזְנֽוֹ׃H241Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

vvvאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativerefusingלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleto hearיִ֭שְׁמַעH8085Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe tuneלְק֣וֹלH6963Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularof the charmerמְלַחֲשִׁ֑יםH3907Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralwho skillfullyמְחֻכָּֽם׃H2449Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singularweaves his spellחוֹבֵ֖רH2266Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular. . .חֲבָרִ֣יםH2267Noun - masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.