Psalm 58:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Let them vanish like water that runs away; when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted.

NIV: Let them vanish like water that flows away; when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.

NASB: May they flow away like water that runs off; When he aims his arrows, may they be as headless shafts.

CSB: May they vanish like water that flows by; may they aim their blunted arrows.

NLT: May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Let them flow away as waters which run continually; When he bends his bow, Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces.

David asks the Lord to harshly judge wicked rulers and judges (Psalm 58:1–2). These men have deliberately ignored God and His will (Psalm 58:3–5), resulting in violence and harm. Much as with his prior request (Psalm 58:6), David's prayer involves removing the ability of these men to hurt others. He prays they disappear, like water that soaks into the ground or dries up and disappears. Another image is that of an arrow with no point: stripped of its primary means to injure.

As an "imprecatory" psalm, this is David's call for God to issue punishment on evil people. David does not plan to take on this role himself. He is not proclaiming his intent to take revenge. Rather, he asks God to be the avenger (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19). David lived out this same attitude when he refused to kill Saul—who was then king—despite being persecuted and hunted by the ruler (1 Samuel 24:6–7).

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.

Accessed 4/27/2024 1:38:02 PM