Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

The exaltation that David sang in desperation and faith in verse 5 is now repeated in victory in verse 11. Our circumstances should never change our faith and confidence; we can keep singing his praise both in the darkness of the cave and in the morning light of his glory.

“Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.” (11)

1 Spence, page 6 2 Keil & Delitzsch 3 Spence, page 6 4 Keil & Delitzsch

PSALM 58: BORN SINNERS Corruption in High Places

This Psalm describes the hardness and corruption of wicked rulers that hold the fate of David in their hands. It is a violent prayer against his enemies that is delivered in seven, rapid metaphors of poetical brilliance. It begins as a passionate argument against David’s oppressors and ends with rejoicing as God overturns the injustice of the leaders.

The psalm has three divisions:

I BORN SINNERS- 1-5 II BROKEN FANGS- 6-9 III BLOOD OF THE WICKED- 10,11

INTRODUCTION:

“For the choir director: A psalm (michtam) of David, to be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”

This is another one of the ‘golden psalms’ or michtams of David. (16, 56-60) It is also one of four psalms to be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!” (Psalms 57,58,59,75) Perhaps this is in reference to the intercessory nature of the psalm. David intervenes in each of these poems and asks God for preser- vation and deliverance. The term ‘do not destroy,’ was first used by Moses as he interceded for the Is- raelites in the wilderness: “I prayed to the Lord and said, ‘O Sovereign Lord, do not destroy your people.” (Deut. 9:26) It is our spiritual right to pray ‘do not destroy!’ when the enemy attacks God’s work and peo- ple.

I BORN SINNERS - 1-5

“Justice-do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? No, all your dealings are crooked; you hand out violence instead of justice.” (1,2)

This psalm begins with two questions about the unfairness of the justice David has just received. The New King James Version of verse 1 reads: “Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?” It is likely that the rulers or judges during the reign of Saul or Absalom have remained silent to David’s defense. He is unjustly persecuted and is fleeing for his life and his prayers become his only arrows of defense. The rulers are handing out corrupt sentences that are filling the land with violence. The judges are ‘dumb when they ought to speak…and deaf when they ought to hear 1 .’

“These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way.” (3)

This verse describes the condition of mankind infected with the hereditary sin and guilt of Adam. It is bred into all of us and we carry it in our nature from birth. When the Greeks translated the Hebrew bible they used the word ‘planao’ to describe the phrase “gone their own way” which means a ‘wandering planet.’ Sin causes people to lose their orbit, their divine place in God’s universe. Only the new birth in Christ restores us to the rhythm and plan of God.

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