Psalms 58:1

Psalms 58:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
• New International Version (NIV)Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?

Context of Psalms 58:1

Do you rulers really say what is right? Do you judge people in a fair way? 2No! You do not! You like to think of evil things to do. You make cruel things happen everywhere in the land. 3Wicked people do wrong things from their birth. As soon as they are born, they start telling lies.

Psalms 58:1 word by word

הַֽאֻמְנָ֗ם אֵ֣לֶם צֶ֭דֶק תְּדַבֵּר֑וּן מֵישָׁרִ֥ים תִּ֝שְׁפְּט֗וּ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Do ye indeedאֻמְנָם'ûmnâm · trulyH552
• speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: promiseH1696
• righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
• O congregationאֵ֫לֶם'êlem · silenceH482
• do ye judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• uprightlyמֵישָׁרmêyshâr · uprightnessH4339
• O ye sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120

Cross-references for Psalms 58:1

• Psalms 57:1God, please be kind to me and help me! Please help me! I have come to you to keep me safe. Until the danger has gone, keep me near to you, in the way that birds protect their babies under their wings.
• Psalms 59:1My God, please save me from my enemies! They are attacking me, so please keep me safe from them.
• Psalms 72:1God, please help the king to judge people in a right way. Help the king's son to be honest and fair, as you are.
• Deuteronomy 16:18Each tribe must choose judges and officers in every town that the Lord gives you. They must judge the people in a way that is fair.
• 2 Samuel 23:3Israel's God has spoken. The one who keeps Israel safe said to me, “A king should rule over people in a way that is right and fair. He should show that he respects and obeys God.
• 2 Chronicles 19:6He said to them, ‘Be careful how you do your job. Remember that you are not being a judge to please men. You are doing it to please the Lord. He will help you to decide what is right.
• Isaiah 11:3To obey the Lord will make him very happy. He will not judge people because of what he sees with his eyes. He will not judge them because of what he hears about them with his ears.
• Isaiah 32:1Look! A king is coming who will rule in a right and fair way. Honest leaders will rule under his authority.
• Jeremiah 23:5The Lord says, ‘The time will come when I do this: I will cause a descendant of David to be born. He will be righteous. He will grow like a branch on the tree of David's family. He will rule as king in a wise way. He will do what is right and fair in the land.
• Psalms 82:1God calls the powerful rulers to meet in heaven. He sits on his throne to judge them.
• Numbers 11:16So the Lord said to Moses, ‘Choose 70 leaders of the Israelites and bring them to the Tent of Meeting. You must know that they are leaders and officers that the people respect. Bring them to stand there with you.
• Deuteronomy 1:15So I chose men that you knew were wise to be the leaders in your tribes. I gave them authority to rule over you. Some were leaders of groups of 1,000 men. Some led groups of 100 men, or 50 men, or ten men. I also chose other officers for each tribe.
• 2 Samuel 5:3So King David made an agreement with the leaders of Israel when they came to him at Hebron. They made promises in the Lord's name. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel.
• Matthew 26:3Then the leaders of the priests and the important Jews met together in the house of the most important priest. His name was Caiaphas.
• Matthew 27:1Early the next morning, all the leaders of the priests and the important Jews met together. They decided how to make the Roman rulers kill Jesus.
• Luke 23:50A man called Joseph was also there. He was one of a special group of important Jewish leaders. He was a good man that wanted to do right things.

Commentaries on Psalms 58:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Do 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Do 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 Psalm 56:1-13, “Jonath-elem-rechokim.” See the notes at that title. The word…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Wicked judges described and reproved. (1-5) A prayer that they may be disabled, and their ruin predicted. (6-11) Verses 1-5 When wrong is done under the form of law, it is worse than any other; especially it is grievous to behold those who profess to be children of God, joining together against any of his people. We should thank the Lord for merciful restraints; we should be more earnest in seeking renewing grace, more watchful over ourselves, and more…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1rulers (or gods): People used this term for high officials and administrators of justice (Psalm 82:1, 6). In other contexts, it might refer to angelic creatures (Psalm 89:7) or the gods of other nations (82:1; Daniel 11:36).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-111. O congregation--literally, "Oh, dumb"; the word used is never translated "congregation." "Are ye dumb? ye should speak righteousness," may be the translation. In any case, the writer remonstrates with them, perhaps a council, who were assembled to try his cause, and bound to give a right decision.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 58:1

• Depravity of Man
• Judge
• Music
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Altaschith
• Michtam
• Psalms
• Wickedness
• Angel
• Psalms, Book of
• Song

Commentaries on Psalms 58

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary