Focused Passage

Psalms 58:6-9

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

6O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.

7May they vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, may their arrows be blunted.

8Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun.

9Before your pots can feel the burning thorns—whether green or dry—He will sweep them away.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 6

Cross-references

Psalms 3:7Classic cross-references Psalms 57:4Classic cross-references Job 4:10Classic cross-references Hosea 5:14Classic cross-references Proverbs 30:14Classic cross-references

Original words

O Godאֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗יםH430Noun - masculine pluralshatterהֲרָס־H2040Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singulartheir teethשִׁנֵּ֥ימוֹH8127Noun - cdc | third person masculine pluralin their mouthsבְּפִ֑ימוֹH6310Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralO LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singulartear outנְתֹ֣ץ׀H5422Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularthe fangsמַלְתְּע֥וֹתH4459Noun - feminine plural constructof the lionsכְּ֝פִירִ֗יםH3715Noun - masculine plural

Verse 7

Cross-references

2 Samuel 14:14Classic cross-references Joshua 7:5Classic cross-references Psalms 112:10Classic cross-references Psalms 64:3Classic cross-references Exodus 15:15Classic cross-references

Original words

May they vanishיִמָּאֲס֣וּH3988Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plurallikeכְמוֹ־H3644Prepositionwaterמַ֭יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralthat runs offיִתְהַלְּכוּ־H1980Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralwhen they draw the bowיִדְרֹ֥ךְH1869Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularmay their arrowsחִצּוֹH2671Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularכְּמ֣וֹכְּמ֣וֹH3644Prepositionbe bluntedיִתְמֹלָֽלוּ׃H4135Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

BSB notes

Or when they are trodden down, may they wither like grass

Verse 8

Cross-references

Job 3:16Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 6:3Classic cross-references James 1:10Classic cross-references Job 29:17Classic cross-references Psalms 37:35Classic cross-references

Original words

Likeכְּמ֣וֹH3644Prepositiona slugשַׁ֭בְּלוּלH7642Noun - masculine singular constructthat dissolvesיַהֲלֹ֑ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin its slimeתֶּ֣מֶסH8557Noun - masculine singularlike a woman’sאֵ֝֗שֶׁתH802Noun - feminine singular constructstillborn childנֵ֥פֶלH5309Noun - masculine singular constructmay they neverבַּל־H1077Adverbseeחָ֥זוּH2372Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthe sunשָֽׁמֶשׁ׃H8121Noun - common singular

Verse 9

Cross-references

Ecclesiastes 7:6Classic cross-references Proverbs 10:25Classic cross-references Psalms 118:12Classic cross-references Isaiah 17:13Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:19Classic cross-references

Original words

Beforeבְּטֶ֤רֶםH2962Preposition-b | Adverbyour potsסִּֽירֹתֵיכֶ֣םH5518Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine pluralcan feelיָבִ֣ינוּH995Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural[the burning] thornsאָטָ֑דH329Noun - masculine singularwhether greenחַ֥יH2416Adjective - masculine singularorכְּמוֹ־H3644Preposition. . .כְּמוֹ־H3644Prepositiondryחָ֝ר֗וֹןH2740Noun - masculine singularHe will sweep them awayיִשְׂעָרֶֽנּוּ׃H8175Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular

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