seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Psalm 58[a]For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.(b)
1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge people with equity?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
Do you judge people with equity?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.
6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[c]
10 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then people will say,
“Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth.”
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[c]
10 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then people will say,
“Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth.”
a. Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
b. Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
c. Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
I am of the opinion that people have been all wrong about David.... sure he was good and kind.... and he had multiple instances when he could have killed Saul and taken the throne.... but David was obedient too. Verse 6, though, displays the violence a shepherd is capable of..... busting the teeth out of a lion..... that's a pretty intense part of the shepherd's job description. Lions prey on sheep.... as long as they have teeth.... without teeth a lion would be a pussy cat.
This is from the enduringword.com site.
Break their teeth in their mouth, O God: David prayed that God would take vengeance on these dangerous judges. The power of serpents and lions was in their fangs; David asked God to take away their deadly bite.
“The imprecatory nature of the prayer may seem strange to our ears, but the radical nature of evil requires a response from the God of justice.” (VanGemeren)
“If they have no capacity for good, at least deprive them of their ability for evil.” (Spurgeon)
Fangs: “The great teeth,called the grinders, which are more sharp and strong than the rest, and more used in breaking and tearing what they are about to eat.” (Poole)
Let them flow away as waters which run continually: David asked for the rapid and complete dispersion of these men and their power – like a snail which melts as it goes away.
“Let them be minished away like the waters which sometimes run in the desert, but are soon evaporated by the sun, or absorbed by the sand.” (Clarke)
“A slug does not actually melt away as it moves along the ground leaving its slimy trail behind. But it seems to.” (Boice)
Like a stillborn child: With a severe and startling image, David prayed for the death of his enemies, or rather that they had never been born to see the light of day.
“Their life comes never to ripeness, their aims are abortive, their only achievement is to have brought misery to others, and horror to themselves. Such men as Herod, Judas, Alva, Bonner, had it not been better for them if they had never been born?” (Spurgeon)
People are always talking about David.... like he was this little man of great integrity. Yep.... he was little compared to Goliath. But he was not little in any other way... think about it.... what kind of man could lay down to sleep in an open meadow.... full of tempting bait for those hungry lions that roamed the area freely in the days before fences and barbed wire...... there were walls around the city.... to protect the citizens at night.... but those shepherds had to be fierce.It's interesting that David brought up the "stillborn child". I wonder.... where did David learn about the "stillborn child"? Was Bathsheba's baby boy stillborn or did he die days later? I still think David made Bathsheba drink or eat something to cause that death.... and I could make an argument that David had firsthand knowledge of stillborn babies. I wonder.... when he was in the Temple praying.... was he praying that a "potion" would work? Was he praying that the "potion" would not kill Bathsheba as well? But I digress.....
Breaking the teeth out of a lion's mouth..... David wanted God to do it to his enemies.... he must have known it was effective. And.... come to think of it.... busting the teeth out of an evil human.... does slow down the number of lies they might tell.....
