Psalm 58:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Mankind will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth."

NIV: Then people will say, "Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth."

NASB: And people will say, 'There certainly is a reward for the righteous; There certainly is a God who judges on the earth!'

CSB: Then people will say, "Yes, there is a reward for the righteous! There is a God who judges on earth!"

NLT: Then at last everyone will say, 'There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.'

KJV: So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

NKJV: So that men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth.”

This is an "imprecatory" psalm, which prays for God to take harsh revenge on wicked people. In this case, the wicked ones are judges and other leaders whom David sees spreading lies and violence (Psalm 58:1–2). They deliberately ignore God's will (Psalm 58:3–5) so David makes an emotional appeal for the Lord to bring graphic, gruesome punishment to the evil ones (Psalm 58:6–9). He does not plan to do this himself—the request is for God to act. David expects to see the Lord's people celebrate when they see His judgment (Psalm 58:10).

David's other assumption is that divine vengeance will inspire mankind to confess that there is a God who rightly judges, rewards, and punishes. The judgment mentioned in this passage is aimed at corrupt rulers and judges of Israel during David's era. Yet someday, God will judge all the wicked. Today, when injustice occurs, people may ask, "Where is God?" but no one will raise that question when He judges the wicked decisively, openly, and conclusively. Acts 17:31 promises that God "has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." That day of judgment awaits the time all the dead unbelievers, small and great, stand before the Great White Throne. Everyone whose name is not written in the book of life will be consigned to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15).

Psalm 58:6–11 follows a description of Israel's wicked rulers and judges with David's prayer for divine punishment. His words are emotional and somewhat graphic. David prays the Lord will obliterate these violent, evil people. He anticipates the joy the righteous will experience when the unscrupulous rulers and judges succumb to the Lord's punishment. When humanity sees God's justice done, they will celebrate and recognize the Lord's authority.

David begins this psalm with an indictment aimed at Israel's corrupt leaders, likely Israel's rulers and judges. He asks them whether they decree what is right and judge uprightly. He answers his own questions with a resounding "no." He blames them for plotting evil, committing violence, and lying. He portrays them as poisonous snakes. David asks God to destroy them to the point that they quickly vanish from the earth. When God punishes the wicked rulers and judges, the righteous will rejoice and declare that there is a God who rewards the righteous and does what is just.

David decries the injustice of wicked rulers and judges, likely during the later years of Saul's reign. David would have been in exile when he wrote this psalm. He prayed for deliverance from wicked leaders and for God's vengeance to be done. This is one of several "imprecatory" psalms which ask God to bring harsh punishment on His enemies.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.