Advanced Commentary

Texts -- Psalms 58:1-9 (NET)

Context
Psalm 58
58:1 For the music director ; according to the al-tashcheth style ; a prayer of David . Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions ? Do you judge people fairly ? 58:2 No ! You plan how to do what is unjust ; you deal out violence in the earth . 58:3 The wicked turn aside from birth ; liars go astray as soon as they are born . 58:4 Their venom is like that of a snake , like a deaf serpent that does not hear , 58:5 that does not respond to the magicians , or to a skilled snake-charmer . 58:6 O God , break the teeth in their mouths ! Smash the jawbones of the lions , O Lord ! 58:7 Let them disappear like water that flows away ! Let them wither like grass ! 58:8 Let them be like a snail that melts away as it moves along! Let them be like stillborn babies that never see the sun ! 58:9 Before the kindling is even placed under your pots , he will sweep it away along with both the raw and cooked meat .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Altaschith

    [ebd] destroy not, the title of Ps. 57, 58, 59, and 75. It was probably the name of some song to the melody of which these psalms were to be chanted.
    [nave] ALTASCHITH Title of Psa. 57-59; 75. See: Music.

  • Michtam

    [ebd] writing; i.e., a poem or song found in the titles of Ps. 16; 56-60. Some translate the word "golden", i.e., precious. It is rendered in the LXX. by a word meaning "tablet inscription" or a "stelograph." The root of the word ...

  • David

    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Music

    [nave] MUSIC Teachers of, 1 Chr. 15:22; 25:7, 8; 2 Chr. 23:13. Physical effect of, on people, 1 Sam. 16:15, 16, 23. Discoursed during the offering of sacrifices, 2 Chr. 29:27, 28. Precentor, Neh. 12:42. Chief musician, Neh. 12:...

  • Wicked

    [nave] WICKED Compared with: Abominable branches, Isa. 14:19; ashes under the feet, Mal. 4:3; bad fishes, Matt. 13:48; beasts, Psa. 49:12; 2 Pet. 2:12; the blind, Zeph. 1:17; Matt. 15:14; bronze and iron, Jer. 6:28; Ezek. 22:18; br...

  • Serpent

    [isbe] SERPENT - sur'-pent: 1. General: Serpents are not particularly abundant in Palestine, but they are often mentioned in the Bible. In the Hebrew there are 11 names. The New Testament has four Greek names and the Septuagint emp...
    [smith] The Hebrew word nachash is the generic name of any serpent. The following are the principal biblical allusions to this animal its subtlety is mentioned in (Genesis 3:1) its wisdom is alluded to by our Lord in (Matthew 10:18) ...
    [nave] SERPENT Satan appears in the form of, to Eve, Gen. 3:1-15; 2 Cor. 11:3. Subtlety of, Gen. 3:1; Eccl. 10:8; Matt. 10:16. Curse upon, Gen. 3:14, 15; 49:17. Feeds upon the dust, Gen. 3:14; Isa. 65:25; Mic. 7:17. Unfit for f...

  • Depravity of Mankind

    [nave] DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND Gen. 6:5-8, 11-13; Gen. 8:21; Deut. 32:10; Job 4:17-19; Job 9:2, 3, 20, 29-31; Job 11:12; Job 14:4; Job 15:14-16; Job 25:4-6; Psa. 5:9; Psa. 14:1-3 Psa. 53:1-3. Psa. 51:5; Psa. 58:1-5; Psa. 94:11; Psa. 1...

  • Snail

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. homit, among the unclean creeping things (Lev. 11:30). This was probably the sand-lizard, of which there are many species in the wilderness of Judea and the Sinai peninsula. (2.) Heb. shablul (Ps. 58:8), the snail ...
    [isbe] SNAIL - snal ((1) chomeT, the Revised Version (British and American) "sand-lizard," Septuagint saura, "lizard" (Lev 11:30); (2) shabbelul, Septuagint keros, "wax" (Ps 58:8)): (1) ChomeT is 7th in the list of unclean "creepin...
    [smith] The Hebrew word shablul occurs only in (Psalms 58:8) The rendering of the Authorized Version is probably correct. The term would denote either a limax or a helix , which are particularly noticeable for the slimy track they l...
    [nave] SNAIL, a crustacean. Forbidden as food, Lev. 11:30. Perishable, Psa. 58:8.

  • Adder

    [ebd] (Ps. 140:3; Rom. 3:13, "asp") is the rendering of, (1.) Akshub ("coiling" or "lying in wait"), properly an asp or viper, found only in this passage. (2.) Pethen ("twisting"), a viper or venomous serpent identified with the c...
    [isbe] ADDER - ad'-er (`akhshubh (Ps 140:3); pethen (Ps 58:4); tsiph`oni (Prov 23:32); shephiphon (Gen 49:17); tsepha` (King James Version margin; Isa 14:29)): This word is used for several Hebrew originals. In each case a poisonou...
    [nave] ADDER, a venomous serpent, Gen. 49:17; Psa. 91:13; 58:4; 140:3; Prov. 23:32.

  • Impenitence

    [nave] IMPENITENCE. Lev. 23:26-29; Lev. 26:21 vs. 22-24.; Deut. 29:19-21; 1 Sam. 15:23; Job 9:2, 4; Job 24:13; Job 33:14; Psa. 7:11, 12 v. 13.; Psa. 10:3; Psa. 32:9; Psa. 50:17, 21; Psa. 52:1, 7; Psa. 58:3-5; Psa. 68:21; Psa. 78:8...

  • FUEL

    [ebd] Almost every kind of combustible matter was used for fuel, such as the withered stalks of herbs (Matt. 6:30), thorns (Ps. 58:9; Eccl. 7:6), animal excrements (Ezek. 4:12-15; 15:4, 6; 21:32). Wood or charcoal is much used sti...
    [isbe] FUEL - fu'-el ('okhlah, or ma'akholeth, "food"): Is mentioned specifically only in the Old Testament, in Isa 9:5,19; Ezek 15:4,6; 21:32. Its general, literal meaning in these connections is "food for fire," and might include...

  • ENCHANTMENT

    [isbe] ENCHANTMENT - en-chant'-ment: The occult arts, either supposedly or pretentiously supernatural, were common to all oriental races. They included enchantment, sorcery, witchcraft, sooth-saying, augury, necromancy, divination ...

  • Charmers and Charming

    [nave] CHARMERS AND CHARMING. Isa. 19:3; Jer. 8:17. Prohibited, Deut. 18:11. Of serpents, Psa. 58:4, 5; Jer. 8:17. See: Sorcery.

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • ASP

    [isbe] ASP - (pethen (Dt 32:33; Job 20:14,16; Isa 11:8); aspis (Rom 3:13)); Any poisonous snake, or even poisonous snakes in general, would satisfy the context in all the passages cited. Pethen is also translated ADDER (which see) ...
    [smith] (Heb. pethen), translated (adder in) (Psalms 58:4; 91:13) Probably the Egyptian cobra, a small and very poisonous serpent, a dweller in the holes of walls, (Isaiah 11:8) and a snake upon which the serpent-charmers practiced t...

  • EAR

    [isbe] EAR - er ('ozen; ous, otion, the latter word (literally, "earlet") in all the Gospels only used of the ear of the high priest's servant, which was cut off by Peter: Mt 26:51; Mk 14:47; Lk 22:51 (not 22:50); Jn 18:10,26): (1)...

  • POISON

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. hemah, "heat," the poison of certain venomous reptiles (Deut. 32:24, 33; Job 6:4; Ps. 58:4), causing inflammation. (2.) Heb. rosh, "a head," a poisonous plant (Deut. 29:18), growing luxuriantly (Hos. 10:4), of a bi...
    [isbe] POISON - poi'-z'-n (chemah, ro'-sh; thumos, ios): Residents in Palestine must, from the first, have been acquainted with venomous serpents. Six species of these are widely diffused in the land, and at least three of them are...

  • Judge

    [nave] JUDGE Appointed by Persians, Ezra 7:25. Kings and other rulers as, 2 Sam. 8:15; 15:2; 1 Kin. 3:16-28; 10:9; 2 Kin. 8:1-6; Psa. 72:1-4; Matt. 27:11-26; Acts 23:34, 35; 24; 25:11, 12. Priests and Levites as, Deut. 17:9; 2 Ch...

  • Thorn

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. hedek (Prov. 15:19), rendered "brier" in Micah 7:4. Some thorny plant, of the Solanum family, suitable for hedges. This is probably the so-called "apple of Sodom," which grows very abundantly in the Jordan valley. ...
    [nave] THORN The ground cursed with, Gen. 3:18. Used as an awl, Job 41:2; for fuel, Psa. 58:9; 118:12; Eccl. 7:6. Hedges formed of, Hos. 2:6; Mic. 7:4. Crown of, mockingly put on Jesus' head, Matt. 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2, ...

  • Arrow

    [nave] ARROW, a weapon. Used in hunting, Gen. 21:20; 27:3; in war, 1 Sam. 31:3; 2 Sam. 22:15; 1 Kin. 22:34; 2 Kin. 19:32; Psa. 7:13; Isa. 22:3; Jer. 51:3. Divination by, Ezek. 21:21. Shot by Jonathan as a sign to David, 1 Sam. 20:...
more

Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • [Psa 58:1] Do Ye, O Men, Speak Righteousness

Questions

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Moses cited five cases in this section, as was true in the preceding one (vv. 12-17).21:18-19 The Torah made no distinction in the penalty an aggressor paid because of his intent (vv. 18-28). The inferior Hammurabi Code did b...
  • The texts of the individual psalms do not usually indicate who wrote them.1However some of the titles of the individual psalms do contain information about the writers.2This is the only really reliable information we have as ...
  • I. Book 1: chs. 1-41II. Book 2: chs. 42-72III. Book 3: chs. 73-89IV. Book 4: chs. 90-106V. Book 5: chs. 107-150...
  • On the basis of God's protection of those who trust in Him David asked for protection from those who were pursuing him, perhaps Saul's men (cf. 1 Sam. 22:8; 24:9; 26:19). He felt like a helpless lamb that a powerful ferocious...
  • In Book 1 we saw that all the psalms except 1, 2, 10, and 33 claimed David as their writer. It is likely that he wrote these four as well even though they do not bear his name. In Book 2 the titles identify David as the write...
  • 58:1 The psalmist introduced his condemnation of certain unjust judges with two questions. He questioned the integrity of these men.The Hebrew word elohim(lit. strong ones) sometimes refers to rulers in the Old Testament. Of ...
  • 58:6-8 David called on God to deal with these unjust men. Breaking the teeth symbolizes painfully removing their ability to devour the people they oppressed. He asked God to remove them as water flows away. He requested that ...
  • Allen, Ronald B. "Evidence from Psalm 89."In A Case for Premillennialism: A New Consensus, pp. 55-77. Edited by Donald K. Campbell and Jeffrey L. Townsend. Chicago: Moody Press, 1992._____. Lord of Song. Portland: Multnomah P...
  • Abbot, T. K. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles to the Ephesians and to the Colossians. International Critical Commentary series. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1897.Aldrich, Roy L. "The Gift of God."Biblioth...
  • Adamson, James B. The Epistle of James. New International Commentary on the New Testament series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976; reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1984.Bailey, Mark...
Back to Commentary Page
Display Bible



Universal Search:

NET Only
Exact Search
Commentary
Study Dictionary
Word Study
Lexicon
Study Maps System
Sermon Illustrations
Expository
Arts
Resource
Daily Bible Reading
Training Video
Classic NET Bible
iPhone NET Bible
Mobile Bible
TIP #29: [ALL]
created in 0.05 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA