Psalms 58:6

_BREAK THEIR TEETH, O GOD, IN THEIR MOUTH: BREAK OUT THE GREAT TEETH OF THE YOUNG LIONS, O LORD._ -Petition rounded on the foregoing description of the malignity of the foe; confident anticipation of the answer (Psalms 58:9). Verse 6. BREAK THEIR TEETH, O GOD. The Hebrew order brings God into prominence as the Psalmist's only resource against the "sons of men" (Psalms 58:1). 'GOD break their teeth!' Image from ravenous lions, which tear their prey with their teeth (cf. Psalms 3:7). BREAK OUT THE GREAT TEETH - `the eye-teeth,' which in lions are most formidable; the tusks. Verse 7. LET THEM MELT AWAY AS WATERS WHICH RUN CONTINUALLY - Hebrew, '(which) flow away for themselves.'

6._Break their teeth, O God! in their mouth _(354) From this part of the psalm he assumes the language of imprecation, and solicits the vengeance of God, whose peculiar prerogative it is to repel oppression and vindicate injured innocence. It is necessary, however, that we attend to the manner in which this is done. He does not claim the judgment or patronage of God to his cause, until he had, in the first place, asserted his integrity, and stated his complaint against the malicious conduct of his enemies; for God can never be expected to undertake a cause which is unworthy of defense. In the verse before us, he prays that God would crush the wicked, and restrain the violence of their rage. By their _teeth, _he would intimate that they resembled wild beasts in their desire to rend and destroy the victims of their oppression; and this is brought out more clearly in the latter part of the...

6-11 David prayed that the enemies of God's church and people might be disabled to do further mischief. We may, in faith, pray against the designs of the enemies of the church. He foretells their ruin. And who knows the power of God's anger? The victories of the Just One, in his own person and that of his servants, over the enemies of man's salvation, produce a joy which springs not from revenge, but from a view of the Divine mercy, justice, and truth, shown in the redemption of the elect, the punishment of the ungodly, and the fulfilment of the promises. Whoever duly considers these things, will diligently seek the reward of righteousness, and adore the Providence which orders all thing aright in heaven and in earth...

Verse Psalms 58:6. _BREAK THEIR TEETH_] He still compares Saul, his captains, and his courtiers, to _lions_; and as a lion's power of doing mischief is greatly lessened if all his teeth be broken, so he prays that God may take away their power and means of pursuing their bloody purpose. But he may probably have the serpents in view, of which he speaks in the preceding verse; _break their_ _teeth-destroy the fangs_ of these serpents, in which _their poison_ is contained. This will amount to the same meaning as above. Save me from the _adders_-the sly and poisonous slanderers: save me also from the _lions_-the tyrannical and blood-thirsty men....

BREAK THEIR TEETH, O GOD, IN THEIR MOUTH - The word here rendered “break” means properly “to tear out.” The allusion is to his enemies, represented as wild beasts; and the prayer is, that God would deprive them of the means of doing harm - as wild animals are rendered harmless when their teeth are broken out. BREAK OUT THE GREAT TEETH OF THE YOUNG LIONS, O LORD - The word used here means properly “biters” or “grinders:” Job 29:17; Proverbs 30:14; Joel 1:6. Compare the notes at Psalms 3:7. The word rendered “young lions” here does not refer to mere whelps, but to full-grown though you

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.

BREAK THEIR TEETH, O GOD, IN THEIR MOUTH,.... From the description of the wicked, the psalmist passes to imprecations on his enemies; whom he represents as cruel and bloodthirsty, and as being stronger than he; and therefore he applies to God, who could, as he sometimes did, smite his enemies on the cheekbone, and break the teeth of the ungodly; which is done by taking the power and instruments of hurting from them: and it may be by "their teeth in their mouth" may be meant their malicious words, calumnies, and detractions; teeth being the instrument of speech; and by "breaking" them, preventing the mischief designed by them; BREAK OUT THE GREAT TEETH OF THE YOUNG LIONS, O LORD: Saul was the old lion; his princes, nobles, and courtiers, the young ones; whose jaw teeth were as knives to devour David and his men, unless plucked out; or God in his providence should interpose, and hinder th...

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

GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim._ App-4. LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4....