You Are Not the Only One

Psalm Chapter 58 (KJV) (Unless otherwise stated all scriptures in this devotional are from the King James Version-Public Domain. Not because I think that it is the best version, but because I don’t have to deal with copyright issues when I post straight from the King James Bible 🙂 ). #unjust #speak #Wisely

Context:

One may consider Psalm 58 to be a psalm/prayer against unjust judges. Although the psalmist states “O congregation” (in verse 1), it literally means “O gods/rulers” who claim that they represent God. in the Old Testament the God and civil leaders are sometimes closely linked together (Exodus 22:28; Deut. 19:17-18). Subsequently, because of this symbiotic relationship, the psalmist indictment against the unjust judges (6-9) is most insightful. The indictment includes a mighty curse, and the conclusion of the psalm directs the reader to consider the effect of God’s vindication of the righteous in (verses 10 and 11).

1. The Indictment of Unjust Leaders (58:1-5).
2.  The Imprecation Against Unjust Leaders 58:6-11).

Title: “Altaschith” (see note on Psalm 57: Title; and note on Psalm 16: Title).

The Poison, and Effect,  of Rulers Who Are Unjust!

1 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? An unrighteous person can judge and or ruler justly. We tend to assign to rulers the qualities of a righteous ruler without looking at the things that come out of their mouths and also their action.    ² Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. This verse identifies rulers who are pretending to be believers and are not.  Secondly, it categorizes their heart as a very evil heart.   

³ The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Today when we look at leaders we seem to have forgotten that scripture identifies all human beings as individuals who were born as ‘totally depraved.’ The only thing that changes that scenario is being made new creatures in Christ by God’s power, (compare Psalm 51:5; Rom. 3:9-18; 2 Cor. 5:17).

⁴ Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; There isn’t a  single country on this ball of clay where we can categorically state that they have not identified a leader as a corrupt person. This world is in need of Jesus. But Romans 10:14 states “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” It is our job to not only speak about God’s word, but we need to live it too.  When we are adding to the confusion that has permeated society, people will NOT hear the Gospel message.

 ⁵ Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. You can talk to evil people until you are blue in the face, and it will not convince them. They are connected to the devil and only hear his voice. It seems nothing we say can or will reach them.

⁶ Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord.

The poison of evil rulers The psalmist addresses evil rulers who judge in a way that leads to injustice rather than justice, violence rather than peace. God judges with equity (Ps. 98:9), and rulers should reflect their divine King. The word for rulers may suggest spiritual beings (angels; especially if we accept a slight emendation [ ’elîm for ’ēlem ], the latter makes no sense in the context) or possibly human rulers. Interestingly, Psalm 82 chastises the spiritual powers for not exercising their authority justly. The Teacher bemoans the fact that justice cannot be found among human rulers (Eccl. 3:15– 16).

The injustice of human rulers leads the psalmist to inveigh against wicked people in general. He says that they were born that way. They are as dangerous and deadly as a cobra who cannot be charmed.

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. “Pray that God will give you discernment to know who are the destroyers. Pray God will lock their jaw, where they will not be able to destroy with their tongue” (Case, 2019).

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.  David is telling us to render evil doers as harmless. They have no control over our lives.  ⁹ Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.  ““Snail … which melteth”: A simile for that which is transitive, perhaps based facetiously on the idea that a snail depletes itself in its own trail as it moves along. As a snail when it comes out of its shell liquefies, drops its moisture, and with it makes a “path”, from whence it has its name in the Hebrew language” (Case).

¹⁰ The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. Vengeance is the Lord’s. When we glory in the defeat of our enemies it shows spiritual immaturity on our part. 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.

God rewards “the righteous” (1 Cor. 3:11-15). In time all injustices will be repaid.  “God that judgeth in the earth”: In the last days, God’s people will see that he is not indifferent to injustices. Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Also,  Colossians 3:24 “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”  God blesses those who are His followers; those who have made Jesus Christ Lord of their lives. Those who have rejected the Lord have curses abundant waiting for them.

Prayer: Lord thank you that you are a just ruler. teach us how to judge our actions according to t your word asl well as the actions of others. We cannot change a single person, but we can rely on your to justly reward them for their unjust acts.