the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Psalms 58:1
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune "Do Not Destroy!"
Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly?Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- HolmanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods?Do you judge with equity, O sons of men?
For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of David.
Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?O ye that consult together, pronounce ye truely the thing that is iust? O ye sonnes of men iudge you according to equitie?
To the chief Musician. 'Destroy not.' Of David. Michtam.
Is righteousness indeed silent? Do ye speak it? Do ye judge with equity, ye sons of men?To the Chief Musician. Set to 'Do Not Destroy.' [fn] A Michtam of David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
To the chief musician. Do not destroy. A secret treasure of David. Will you indeed speak righteousness in silence? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
To the director: To the tune "Don't Destroy." A miktam of David.
You judges are not being fair in your decisions. You are not judging people fairly.<
[To the chiefe musician Al-taschith, Michtam of Dauid.] Doe yee indeed speake righteousnesse, O congregation? doe ye iudge vprightly, O ye sonnes of men?
Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
Yf youre myndes be vpon rightuousnesse in dede, then iudge the thinge that is right, o ye sonnes of men.
A David Psalm Is this any way to run a country? Is there an honest politician in the house? Behind the scenes you brew cauldrons of evil, behind closed doors you make deals with demons.
Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods (heavenly beings)? Do you judge fairly, O sons of men?
For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David. Michtam.
Do ye indeed in silence speak righteousness? Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?For the Chief Musician; [set to] Al-tashheth. [A Psalm] of David. Michtam. Do you indeed in silence speak righteousness? Do you judge uprightly, O you sons of man?
To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David. Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David.
Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? Do you judge people fairly?(A special psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune "Don't Destroy.")
Do you mighty people talk only to oppose justice? Don't you ever judge fairly?For the leader. Set to "Do Not Destroy." By David, a mikhtam:
To him that excelleth. Destroy not. A Psalme of Dauid on Michtam. Is it true? O Congregation, speake ye iustly? O sonnes of men, iudge ye vprightly?
DO you indeed speak righteousness. O congregation? do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
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For the Leader; Al-tashheth. [A Psalm] of David; Michtam.
Do you speak what is right and good, O you powerful ones? Are you always right in how you judge, O sons of men?
For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David: Michtam. Do ye indeed in silence speak righteousness? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
For the choirmaster. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam.
Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge people fairly?(57-1) <Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title.> (57-2) If in very deed ye speak justice: judge right things, ye sons of men.
For the music director, according to Do not Destroy.
Of David. A miktam.
Do you really speak what is right when silent? Do you judge fairly the children of humankind?To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David.
Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly?Do you indeed speak righteousness, you gods? Do you judge fairly, you sons of mankind?
For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." A miktam of David.
Do you rulers really say what is right? Do you judge people fairly?Do you rulers ever give a just decision? Do you judge everyone fairly?
For the choir director: "Do Not Destroy." A Davidic Miktam.
Do you really speak righteously, you mighty ones? Do you judge people fairly?The title of the seuene and fiftithe salm. `In Ebreu thus, To victorie; `lese thou not the swete song, ether the semely salm, of Dauid. `In Jeroms translacioun thus, To the ouercomere, that thou lese not Dauid, meke and simple. Forsothe if ye speken riytfulnesse verili; ye sones of men, deme riytfuli.
To the Overseer. -- `Destroy not.' -- A secret treasure, by David. Is it true, O dumb one, righteously ye speak? Uprightly ye judge, O sons of men?
To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David. Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the sons of men uprightly?
Contextual Overview
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune "Do Not Destroy!"
Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? 2 No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land. 3 These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way. 4 They spit venom like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen, 5 ignoring the tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play.Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Do: Psalms 72:1-4, Deuteronomy 16:18, Deuteronomy 16:19, 2 Samuel 23:3, 2 Chronicles 19:6, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Isaiah 11:3-5, Isaiah 32:1, Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 23:6
O congregation: Psalms 82:1, Psalms 82:2, Numbers 11:16, Deuteronomy 1:15, Deuteronomy 1:16, 2 Samuel 5:3, Matthew 26:3, Matthew 27:1, Luke 23:50, Luke 23:51, Acts 5:21
O ye: Psalms 82:6, Psalms 82:7
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 25:1 - General Psalms 4:2 - O Psalms 56:1 - Michtam Psalms 119:85 - which Proverbs 31:9 - General Ecclesiastes 3:16 - General Isaiah 32:6 - and his heart Isaiah 59:8 - judgment Micah 3:9 - that Habakkuk 1:4 - for John 7:24 - General John 8:15 - judge John 19:13 - and sat Acts 4:19 - judge Acts 16:37 - They have Acts 23:3 - for Acts 24:25 - righteousness Galatians 2:14 - walked James 2:4 - judges
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation?.... Of the mighty, as in Psalms 82:1; the judges of the land, who were many, and therefore called a congregation, as it is necessary they should; for, being many, they are not so easily bribed; and besides, one may see that in a cause which another does not. The word signifies a "sheaf" t; and so it is by some rendered, to which a bench or assembly of judges may be compared; because consisting of many, and a select body, who should unite together in a sentence or decree, and act uprightly, like a sheaf of wheat standing upright; see Genesis 37:7; some think the word has the signification of dumbness, or silence; so Jarchi and R. Moses u; as "elem" in Psalms 56:1, title, and render it, "do ye indeed speak dumb justice?" or "the dumbness of justice" w; or are you dumb, or your mouth silent, when ye should speak righteousness? and so the psalmist accuses them for their criminal silence, in not contradicting Saul and his courtiers when they spake against him; and for not advising him to another kind of conduct towards him. All men ought to speak that which is right and truth; but especially judges on the bench, who are to judge the people with just judgment, Deuteronomy 16:18; but here this is doubted of, and called in question; at least their sincerity in giving judgment: yea, it is denied; for this interrogation carries in it a strong denial; and the meaning is, that they did not speak righteousness, or that which was just and right in the cause of David, when before them;
do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? no, they did not; they were unjust judges. The psalmist calls them "the sons of men", as in
1 Samuel 26:19, in distinction from God the Judge of all, and to put them in mind of their frailty and mortality; for though they were gods by office, they were but men, and should die like men, and be accountable to the supreme Judge for all their proceedings in judgment here,
Psalms 82:1.
t אלם "e manipulo", Tigurine version, Junius Tremellius, Piscator "e manipulo justifiae", Cocceius. u In Aben Ezra in loc. w So Varenius, Reinbech, Michaelis.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? - Luther renders this, “Are you then dumb, that you will not speak what is right, and judge what is proper, ye children of men?” The meaning of the verse is exceedingly obscure; but probably the whole sense of the psalm turns on it. The word rendered “congregation,” אלם 'êlem - occurs only in this place and in the title to Psalms 56:1-13, “Jonath-elem-rechokim.” See the notes at that title. The word properly means “dumbness, silence.” Gesenius (Lexicon) renders it here, “Do ye indeed decree dumb justice?” that is, “Do ye really at length decree justice, which so long has seemed dumb?” Professor Alexander renders it, “Are ye indeed dumb when ye should speak righteousness?” The allusion is clearly to some public act of judging; to a judicial sentence; to magistrates and rulers; to people who “should” give a righteous sentence; to those in authority who “ought” to pronounce a just opinion on the conduct of others.
The “fact” in the case on which the appeal is made seems to have been that they did “not” do this; that their conduct was wicked and perverse; that no reliance could be placed on their judicial decisions. Rosenmuller renders it, “There is, in fact, silence of justice;” that is, justice is not declared or spoken. Perhaps the meaning of the phrase may be thus expressed: “Is there truly a dumbness or silence of justice when ye speak? do you judge righteously, O ye sons of men?” That is, “You indeed speak; you do declare an opinion; you pronounce a sentence; but justice is, in fact, dumb or silent when you do it. There is no correct or just judgment in the matter. The opinion which is declared is based on error, and has its origin in a wicked heart.” There is no expression in the original to correspond to the words “O congregation” in our translation, unless it is the word אלם 'êlem, which never has this signification.
It is not so rendered in any of the versions. It is not easy to determine “who” is referred to by this question. It cannot be, as is implied in our common version, that it is to any “congregation,” any people gathered together for the purpose of pronouncing judgment. Yet it is evidently a reference to some persons, or classes of persons, who were expected to “judge,” or to whom it pertained to pass judgment; and the most natural supposition is that the reference is to the rulers of the nation - to Saul, and the heads of the government. If the supposition is correct that the psalm was composed, like Psalms 56:1-13; Psalms 57:1-11; Psalms 59:0, in the time of the Sauline persecutions, and that it belongs to the same “group” of psalms, then it would have reference to Saul and to those who were associated with him in persecuting David. The subject of the psalm would then be the unjust judgments which they passed on him in treating him as an enemy of the commonwealth; in regarding him as an outlaw, and in driving him from his places of refuge as if hunting him down like a wild beast. The contents of the psalm well accord with this explanation.
Do ye judge uprightly? - Do you judge right things? are your judgments in accordance with truth and justice?
O ye sons of men - Perhaps referring to the fact that in their judgments they showed that they were people - influenced by the common passions of people; in other words, they showed that they could not, in forming their judgments, rise above the corrupt passions and prejudices which usually influence and sway mankind.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
PSALM LVIII
David reproves wicked counsellors and judges, who pervert
justice, and stir up the strong against the weak and innocent,
1-5.
He foretells their destruction, and describes the nature of it,
6-9.
The righteous, seeing this, will magnify God's justice and
providence, 10, 11.
NOTES ON PSALM LVIII
The title seems to have no reference to the subject of the Psalm. See the introduction to the preceding. Psalms 57:1 Saul having attempted the life of David, the latter was obliged to flee from the court, and take refuge in the deserts of Judea. Saul, missing him, is supposed by Bishop Patrick to have called a council, when they, to ingratiate themselves with the monarch, adjudged David to be guilty of treason in aspiring to the throne of Israel. This being made known to David was the cause of this Psalm. It is a good lesson to all kings, judges, and civil magistrates; and from it they obtain maxims to regulate their conduct and influence their decisions; and at the same time they may discern the awful account they must give to God, and the dreadful punishment they shall incur who prostitute justice to serve sinister ends.
Verse Psalms 58:1. Do ye indeed speak righteousness — Or, O cabinet seeing ye profess to act according to the principles of justice, why do ye not give righteous counsels and just decisions, ye sons of men? Or, it may be an irony: What excellent judges you are! well do ye judge according to law and justice, when ye give decisions not founded on any law, nor supported by any principle of justice! To please your master, ye pervert judgment; and take part against the innocent, in order to retain your places and their emoluments. Saul's counsellors appear to have done so, though in their consciences they must have been satisfied of David's innocence.
