Psalms 58:2

_YEA, IN HEART YE WORK WICKEDNESS; YE WEIGH THE VIOLENCE OF YOUR HANDS IN THE EARTH._ Yea, in heart ye work wickedness - Hebrew 'wickednesses.' "Yea," or also. In Psalms 58:1 he implied that they had not done what they ought to have done: he here says, they have also done what they ought not to have done. YE WEIGH THE VIOLENCE OF YOUR HANDS IN THE EARTH. Scales and weights symbolize the administration of justice (Job 31:6). 'What ye weigh out is violence, not justice.' The wickedness of the hands stands in contrast to working wickedness in heart (cf. Micah 2:1) in the previous clause....

2._Yea, rather, in heart ye plot wickedness. _In the former verse he complained of the gross shamelessness manifested in their conduct. Now he charges them both with entertaining wickedness in their thoughts, and practising it with their hands. I have accordingly translated the Hebrew article אף, _aph, yea, rather _— it being evident that David proceeds, after first repelling the calumnies of his enemies, to the further step of challenging them with the sins which they had themselves committed. The second clause of the verse may be rendered in two different ways, _ye weigh violence with your hands, _or, _your hands weigh violence; _and as the meaning is the same, it is immaterial which the reader may adopt. Some think that he uses the figurative expression, _to weigh, _in allusion to the pretense of equity under which he was persecuted, as if he were a disturber of the peace, and chargea...

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 should thank the Lord for merciful restraints; we should be more earnest in seeking renewing grace, more watchful over ourselves, and more patient under the effects of fallen nature in others. The corruption of their nature was the root of bitterness. We may see in children the wickedness of the world beginning. They go astray from God and their duty as soon as possibly they can. And how soon will little children tell lies! It is our duty to take pains to teach them, and above all, earnestly to pray for converting grace to make our children new creatures. Though the poison be within, much of it may be kept from breaking forth to injure others. When the Saviour's words are duly regarded, the s...

Verse Psalms 58:2. _YEA, IN HEART YE WORK WICKEDNESS_] With their _tongues_ they had spoken maliciously, and given evil counsel. In their _hearts_ they meditated nothing but wickedness. And though in their _hands_ they held the _scales of justice_, yet in their use of them they were _balances of injustice and violence_. This is the _fact_ to which the psalmist alludes, and the _figure_ which he uses is that of _justice with her scales_ or _balances_, which, though it might be the emblem of the court, yet it did not prevail in the _practice_ of these magistrates and counsellors....

YEA, IN HEART YE WORK WICKEDNESS - Whatever might be the outward appearances, whatever pretences they might make to just judgment, yet in fact their hearts were set on wickedness, and they were conscious of doing wrong. YE WEIGH THE VIOLENCE OF YOUR HANDS IN THE EARTH - It is difficult to attach any meaning to this language; the translators evidently felt that they could not express the meaning of the original; and they, therefore, gave what seems to be a literal translation of the Hebrew. The Septuagint renders it, “In heart you work iniquity in the land; your hands weave together iniquity.” The Latin Vulgate: “In heart you work iniquity; in the land your hands prepare injustice.” Luther: “Yea, willingly do you work iniquity in the land, and go straight through to work evil with your hands.” Professor Alexander: “In the land, the violence of your hands ye weigh.” Perhaps the true transl...

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, in Babylonia, during the time of the Captivity. But the language is not stronger than that addressed often to native judges (see Isaiah 1:16; Isaiah 10:1; Jeremiah 5:26-24; Micah 3:9, etc.). And there is no reason for rejecting the statement of the "title," that the psalm was written by David. It may either belong to the early years of David's reign, or to the time immediately preceding Absalom's rebellion.

YEA, IN HEART YE WORK WICKEDNESS,.... So far were they from speaking righteousness, and judging uprightly. The heart of man is wickedness itself; it is desperately wicked, and is the shop in which all wickedness is wrought; for sinful acts are committed there as well as by the tongue and hand, as follows. This phrase also denotes their sinning; not with precipitancy, and through surprise; but with premeditation and deliberation; and their doing it heartily, with good will, and with allowance, and their continuance and constant persisting in it; YE WEIGH THE VIOLENCE OF YOUR HANDS IN THE EARTH; they were guilty of acts of violence and oppression, which, of all men, judges should not be guilty of; whose business it is to plead the cause of the injured and oppressed, to right their wrongs, and to protect and defend them: these they pretended to weigh in the balance of justice and equity, a...

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). Righteousness is not heard on earth. Wickedness and violence are on the earth, therefore God must arise and deal with these conditions in judgment. It will overtake the wicked and the imprecatory prayers will be answered. Then the righteous will be glad when he seeth the vengeance and it will be said, “Verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily He is a God who judgeth the earth.”...

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 womb, and Psalms 58:4, where they are compared with deaf adders, point to Jewish tyranny, such, _e.g.,_ as that of the Sadducean priests, rather than to a foreign power. Nobody would have expected heathen to hear the voice of Jewish religion. PSALMS 58:1. We ought certainly to read, Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O ye gods? (_mg.)._ The title was given in flattery (_cf._ 2 Samuel 17:14, where see _mg.),_ or wit

WICKEDNESS. Hebrew. _'avval._ Compare App-44. YE WEIGH. Ye weigh out, or, dispense....