Kretzmann's Popular Commentary
Psalms 58:1-11
A Cry for Vengeance upon the Subverters of Right.
To the chief musician, Al-taschith, to be sung to the same melody as the preceding psalm, Michtam, a poem in epigrammatic form, of David.
A Cry for Vengeance upon the Subverters of Right.
To the chief musician, Al-taschith, to be sung to the same melody as the preceding psalm, Michtam, a poem in epigrammatic form, of David.
PSALM LVIII _David reproves wicked counsellors and judges, who pervert_ _justice, and stir up the strong against the weak and innocent_, 1-5. _He foretells their destruction, and describes the nat...
DO YE INDEED SPEAK RIGHTEOUSNESS, O CONGREGATION? - Luther renders this, “Are you then dumb, that you will not speak what is right, and judge what is proper, ye children of men?” The meaning of the ve...
Psalms 58 A Judgment Psalm __ 1. Why God must judge (Psalms 58:1) 2. The judgment executed (Psalms 58:6) “Do ye of a truth in silence speak righteousness?” (literal rendering of the first verse)....
LVIII. A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE ON UNRIGHTEOUS JUDGES. This Ps. is closely allied to Psalms 82. The reproaches in Psalms 58:3, where the enemies of the Psalmist are said to have gone astray from the wom...
TITLE. MICHTAM. See App-65. DO YE INDEED... ? Figure of Speech. _Erotesis._ App-6. Render: _ "Are ye indeed silent [when] ye should speak righteousness? When ye should judge with equity,. ye sons of...
_O congregation_ This rendering of the obscure word _çlěm_, adopted by the scholars of the early part of the 16th century from the learned Rabbi David Kimchi (c. 1160 1235), cannot be defended, and do...
An indignant remonstrance with those in authority, who, instead of condemning crime, are themselves the most guilty criminals....
_David, reproving wicked judges, describeth the nature of the wicked, and devoteth them to God's judgments, whereat the righteous shall rejoice._ To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David....
PSALMS 58 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE A Significant Warning to Corrupt Judges. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 58:1-5, Corrupt Judges Apostrophised, Described in their Evil Doings and Training, in the Harm they D...
_DO YE INDEED SPEAK RIGHTEOUSNESS, O CONGREGATION? DO YE JUDGE UPRIGHTLY, O YE SONS OF MEN?_ Psalms 58:1.-Perversity of the unrighteous judges (Psalms 58:1); prayer for their overthrow; anticipation o...
58:1 Michtam. (f-9) See Psalms 16 . it? (p-17) Some would read 'Do ye mighty ones indeed speak righteousness?'...
This Ps. denounces the wickedness of unjust and oppressive judges, and prays, in a series of powerful metaphors, for their destruction, in order that righteousness may be vindicated, and God exalted a...
O CONGREGATION] RV 'in silence.' Both are doubtful renderings of a word which occurs only here. The reading now generally accepted gives the meaning, 'O ye gods,' or 'mighty ones,' in the sense of 'ju...
PSALMS 42:72 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. Words marked with a *star are described in the word list at the end. The translated Bible text has yet to go through Advanced Che...
CONGREGATION. — This rendering comes of a mistaken derivation of the Hebrew word _êlem,_ which offers some difficulty. As pointed, it must mean _silence_ (comp. Psalms 56 title, the only other place i...
לַ † מְנַצֵּ֥חַ אַל ־תַּשְׁחֵ֗ת לְ דָוִ֥ד...
Psalms 58:1 THIS psalmist's fiery indignation against unjust judges and evil-doers generally is not kindled by personal wrongs. The psalm comes hot from a heart lacerated by the sight of widespread co...
“THERE IS A GOD THAT JUDGETH” Psalms 58:1 This psalm is launched against wicked rulers. It may have been occasioned by the attitude of Abner and others of Saul's party, who accounted David as a rebe...
This is a fine setting forth of the certainty of the judgment of God against wickedness. The psalmist declares its reason (verses Psa 58:1-5), its process (verses Psa 58:6-9), and its effect (verses t...
"To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David." Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O (a) congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? (a) You counsellors of Saul, who under pretence o...
Watched. Hebrew, "they (the guards) watched." The psalm relates also to the resurrection of Christ, and vocation of the Gentiles, (Berthier) as well as to the reprobation, and future conversion of the...
CONTENTS The Psalmist is here reproving unjust judges: he appeals to God against them. He closeth the Psalm with the certain conclusion that God will judge the world in righteousness, and minister tr...
_FAITH IN RIGHTEOUSNESS_ I. THE THRONE OF INIQUITY (Psalms 58:1). II. THE THRONE OF GOD (Psalms 58:6). III. THE SPECTACLE OF JUSTICE (Psalms 58:10). ILLUSTRATIONS (1) ‘Not
1._Do ye indeed speak righteousness? _In putting this question to his enemies, by way of challenge, David displays the boldness of conscious rectitude. It argues that the justice of our cause is demon...
Psalms 58. All righteousness was silent in Israel. The wicked were such and nought else. The godly man looks for judgment on them, for, let favor be shown to them, they will not learn uprightness. In...
DO YE INDEED SPEAK RIGHTEOUSNESS, O CONGREGATION?.... Of the mighty, as in Psalms 82:1; the judges of the land, who were many, and therefore called a congregation, as it is necessary they should; for,...
Psalms 58:1 «To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David. » Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? Ver. 1. _Do ye indeed speak righteousnes...
_Do ye indeed speak righteousness?_ No: you are far from it. You censure me freely without any regard to truth or justice; _O congregation_ The word אלם, _eelem_, thus rendered, signifies _a band_, or...
1-5 When wrong is done under the form of law, it is worse than any other; especially it is grievous to behold those who profess to be children of God, joining together against any of his people. We s...
PSALM 58 THE ARGUMENT This Psalm was composed, as very many others were, upon the occasion of those wicked calumnies, and unjust censures and sentences, which were passed upon him by Saul and his cour...
Psalms 58:1 Musician H5329 (H8764) Destroy H516 (H8686) Michtam H4387 David H1732 indeed H552 speak H1696 ...
HEADING (PSALMS 58:1 A). ‘For the Chief Musician, set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David. Michtam. The heading is a reproduction of the heading to Psalms 57 without the final clause. Psalms 58 is anoth...
Psalms 58:1 In the Prayer-book version this text stands, "Are your minds set upon righteousness, O ye congregation?" This includes the other, and goes deeper. We shall not speak of that upon which ou...
CONTENTS: Prayer for the defeat of ungodly men. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: However wicked people may prosper and bid defiance to divine justice, they will eventually learn that there is a G...
Psalms 58:4. _The deaf adder,_ which stops her ears by putting one ear to the ground, and forcing her tail into the other. Very many of the ancient Greek and Latin writers mention the practice of cert...
_Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation?_ MAN IN MANY ASPECTS I. The character of depraved men portrayed. 1. Unrighteous in judgment. 2. Wrong in heart. 3. Violent in the treatment of m...
PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 58:1. This is a community lament that God’s people sing when they are confronted with injustice among their own rulers. Singing this in worship (1) helps the faithful to pra...
INTRODUCTION _Superscription.—“To the Chief Musician, Al-taschith_.” see introduction to Psalms 57. “_Michtam of David_.” See Introduction to Psalms 56. Moll: “This complaint respecting domestic admin...
EXPOSITION A PSALM of condemnation on unrighteous judges. Some suppose the judges to be superhuman beings, entrusted with the government of the earth (Cheyne). Others suggest heathen rulers of Israel,...
Psa 58:1-11 is a prayer of David. I would not want to be one of David's enemies because of his prayers. Do you indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do you judge uprightly, O you sons of men? Y...
2 Chronicles 19:6; 2 Chronicles 19:7; 2 Samuel 23:3; 2 Samuel 5:3;...
O congregation — The word seems to point at Saul's judges and counsellors; who met together to consult what they should do against David. Sons of men — So he calls them; to mind them that they were me...