Speak Now
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?
2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
Speak Now
In Psalm 58, David shames those persons in positions of authority who fail to speak against injustice and unrighteousness. David warns that God will condemn them for His justice overrules any wicked men. David begins with two rhetorical questions. They are asked to the congregation and to those in positions of power. David’s words drip with sarcasm as he asks if they speak righteously or judge uprightly (58:1). The answer appears to be, indeed, they do not. Not providing a response from these men, David gives one of his own. He says their hearts are wicked and they intentionally weigh the violence of their hands in the Earth.
David reflects on the origins of this wickedness and states the philosophy of original sin. “The wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies” (58:3). Comparing their evil ways to creatures in nature, David says they are like poisonous snakes, and similar to adders which stops the ears and will not listen to the voice of charmers. I have seen videos when snake charmers seem to lead and guide snakes into a submissive, rhythmic dance, commanding the obedient creature to move under his will. David seems to be saying that these wicked men will not listen or follow instructions from any other voices. They have closed their ears to wisdom.
I was jolted by the harshness of David’s next words when he asked God to break their teeth. But again, he uses zoomorphism and compares them to the lion, the king amongst beasts whose powerful teeth can rip and destroy its vulnerable prey. He is calling on God to remove and break the power of the unjust who use their voice to lie and spread violence. Continuing this theme, David asks God to let them flow away like waters. He adds, let his bow be cut into pieces, rendering his weapons of destruction useless (58:7). “Like a snail melteth, let every one of them pass away” (58:8). Here again, David’s words are severe, insinuating that it would have been better if these wicked men weren’t ever even born. Like the untimely birth of a woman’s babe that never sees the sun, a swift end will come to these evil doers (58:8). God will take them away like a whirlwind.
“The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance and shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked” (58:10). The imagery in this psalm comes from David, a warrior, who must have seen the battlefields filled with the blood of his vanquished enemies. Many times, David enjoyed the spoils of war as well. So too will the righteous be rewarded. “So that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous. Verily there is a god who judgeth in the earth” (58:11).
“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing,” is an old quote popularized by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. In Psalm 58, David sternly rebukes anyone who has the authority to stand up for righteousness but fails to do so. This leads me to ask the question of myself, whether or not there have been times when I remained silent in the face of wrongdoing. I ashamedly admit that a few times came to my mind. Why was I afraid to intercede for someone being bullied? Why did I not come to the aid of a friend who was being unjustly maligned? I ask God to forgive me and to remove any fear from my heart to stand up to evil.
I would love to hear what this Psalm brings to mind for you! Write back to me in Facebook comment or blog reply.
Disclaimer: The intention of this project is not to teach, but rather to share. Please use due diligence in studying the word of God, and seek guidance from your local religious leaders for any questions or concerns.
Debra Hill
Debra Hill is an independent inspirational singer, author, songwriter, and writer. As a blind performer, she adds a personal story of God’s faithfulness. Her life exemplifies that Christ’s power will work to lift all regardless of circumstances.
Special Thanks to Elizabeth Baber and Dr. Shakira for all that you do to make it happen.
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