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 Living Translation (NLT)Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly?

Context of Psalms 58:1

Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men? 2No, in heart you work wickedness; You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth. 3The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking 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 57:1Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by.
• Psalms 59:1Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me.
• Psalms 72:1Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
• Deuteronomy 16:18“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
• 2 Samuel 23:3The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.
• 2 Chronicles 19:6and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.
• Isaiah 11:3His delight is in the fear of the Lord, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
• Isaiah 32:1Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice.
• Jeremiah 23:5“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
• Psalms 82:1God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.
• Numbers 11:16So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.
• Deuteronomy 1:15So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes.
• 2 Samuel 5:3Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel.
• Matthew 26:3Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
• Matthew 27:1When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.
• Luke 23:50Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.

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