Sermon Tone Analysis

Psalm 58:1-11 English Standard Version

Psalm 58:superscription

1.

To the choirmaster:

2. according to Do Not Destroy.

3. A Miktam of David.

a. Psalm 58 sits in a series of psalms that carry the superscription “Do not destroy” (57; 58; 59, cf.

75) accompanied by the word “Miktam” (56; 57; 58; 59; 60, cf.

16).[1]

b.

Like the preceding psalms, this [is a] “murmured song” (miktam)[2]

c.

Further, the two psalms [57 and 58] share the metaphor of the “teeth” of lions to describe the wicked, warranting Wilcock’s comment that they are sung to the same tune,2 both musically (title) and theologically (57:4; 58:6).[3]

d.

Unlike the other psalms in this miktam grouping (Pss.

56–60), Psalm 58 does not exhibit in its heading a historical note linking the psalm to an event in the life of David (or any other person).[4]

e.

Though the superscription of Ps 58 does not directly mention Saul, its placement in the Psalter makes that period of David’s life when Saul was trying to kill him the likeliest context for its composition.[5]

f.

Here there is a challenge to unjust rulers, which could call to mind either Saul or Absalom, for both combined injustice and violence.[6]

g.

Traditionally this psalm has been generally dated during David’s flight from Saul or Absalom, in the latter case taking the cue from the concern of the psalm for the administration of justice.

That was the key piece in Absalom’s political platform, at least as he presented his case to the public (compare Absalom’s political platform by which he “stole the hearts of the people of Israel,” 2 Sam.

15:1–6).[7]

i. 2 Samuel 15:1 After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

ii. 2 Samuel 15:2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate.

And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?”

And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,”

iii. 2 Samuel 15:3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.”

iv. 2 Samuel 15:4 Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land!

Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.”

v. 2 Samuel 15:5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

vi. 2 Samuel 15:6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment.

So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Psalm 58:1

1. Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?

2. Do you judge the children of man uprightly?

a. “gods”

i.

The consonantal Hebrew text behind the word translated “[gods]” is ʾlm, and these three consonants are variously vocalized with vowels: ʾelem(“silence”; the traditional but less probable reading); ʾelîm (“rulers”; the plural of ʾayil[“ram/ruler”]); or ʾelim (“gods”; the plural of ʾel, the generic term for deity in the ancient Near East).

These last two words would have sounded almost identical to a listener, and herein lies the force of the wordplay.

Both gods and rulers were expected to oversee the administration of justice on the earth, to limit violence, and maintain social order.[8]

1.

As pointed in BHS the Hebrew text of Ps 58:1 (MT 58:2) reads as follows: “Really in silence do you all speak righteousness …?” The term rendered “in silence” can be re-pointed (i.e., given different vowels, revocalized) to mean either “gods” (ESV, NAS) or “mighty ones/rulers” (CSB, NIV).

The Greek translation leaves the term in question untranslated (cf.

NETS), and the targum renders it “silent.”205

2. The MT has אֵלֶם, ’ēlem, “in silence,” but this hardly makes sense.

Most translators and commentators assume different vocalization, reading the text as אֵלִים, ’ēlîm, “gods” or “rulers” (e.g., NIV); cf.

82:1–2 (a psalm of Asaph), which, however, employs אֱלֹהִים, ’ĕlōhîm.

The persons addressed here must be human in the light of the way they are described, especially in v. 3. See Tate, Psalms 51–100, 82–83, and my comments on 82:1.[9]

b.

Psalm 58 is addressed to unjust rulers.

They may be spiritual powers, human rulers, or both.[10]

i. gods

1.

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.

[11]

2. Psalm 82:1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:

3. Psalm 82:2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?

Selah

4. The background of the address to the אלים, “mighty ones/gods,” in v 2 is that reflected in Deut 32:8–9 and Ps 82, which is the concept of the apportioned assignment of divine beings, or angels, to support and establish justice among the people to whom they were assigned.[12]

5. Deuteronomy 32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.

6. Deuteronomy 32:9 But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.

7. …its style presents affinities with that of the Song of Moses (Deut 32:28–43).

The imagery that describes the deaf judges (vv.

5–6) is startlingly similar to the Deuteronomic indictment of Israel: the chosen people has lost common sense (Deut 32:28).

It drinks poisoned wine that is the venom of snakes, like the poison of adders (v.

33).

“Mine is the avenging and even the vengeance,” cries the Lord (v.

35).

“I shall make my arrows drunk with blood” (v.

42), and “nations will shout with joy” (v.

43).

[13]

ii.

Earthly rulers

1.

If we understand the subject of 58:1 to be the “gods,” then the wicked of verse 3 are the earthlings who carry on the evil work of the gods.

This poem thus moves from the idea of the gods who activate injustice in the world, to the human wicked who carry out the gods’ designs, to the victims of God’s judgment in verse 10b, precisely what the prayer of verses 6–9 (the sevenfold curse) hopes for.[14]

2. Daniel 10:13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,

3. Daniel 10:20 Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you?

But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.

4. Daniel 10:21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.

5. Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

a. Absalom with his followers had made the administration of justice the means of stealing from David the heart of his people; he feigned to be the more impartial judge[15]

b.

Looking at this psalm in isolation, we have seen in it an attack on powerful people who misuse their power by ruling or judging unjustly.

When we have found this fierce kind of language in psalms which seem to relate very naturally to David’s life and times, it is directed against his enemies: before he came to the throne, Saul; afterwards, Absalom.

Bringing the two thoughts together, we realize that the rulers of Psalm 58 could have been Saul and his powerful supporters, or Absalom and his.[16]

iii.

Silence

1. Psalm 58:1 LEB Do you really speak what is right when silent?

Do you judge fairly the children of humankind?

2. Psalm 56:title NKJV To the Chief Musician.

Set to “The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.”

A Michtam of David When the Philistines Captured Him in Gath.

3. To render justice by silence or “by default” is a perversion of the law.[17]

4. I have stayed with the BHS to render the term in question “in silence” (with the footnote/marginal reading in the CSB and ESV) and, assuming the context of Saul’s persecution of David, take the phrase to articulate David’s objection to the way that influential people are silent in response to Saul’s wickedness.

Those who should stand for righteousness and justice, using their influence and authority for truth and goodness, instead passively allow Saul to continue in his murderous wickedness.

Whereas those who keep the Torah strive against the wicked, those who do not stand against the wicked join their cause against the truth of God’s word (cf.

Prov 28:4, 23; 24:25).[18]

Psalm 58:2

1. No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;

a. Devise - to do (manner) v. — to behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior or attribute; conduct or comport oneself.

2. your hands deal out violence on earth.

a. Deal out - to distribute ⇔ weigh out v. — to administer or bestow something, conceived of as weighing it out.

b.

The verb “devise” (p‘l) means to “practice,” and the parallel verb in the second half of the verse suggests that it is the “gods” who “make way for violence”3 (Piel of pls) in the earth.

Or if we take ’elem to be “rulers,” they are the perpetrators, and their subjects are the transfer agents who become the victims of their own evil deeds.

Perowne translates the verb (p‘l) as “weigh out,” sarcastically intended.[19]