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

Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? 2No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land. 3These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way.

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 57:1Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.
• Psalms 59:1Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me.
• Psalms 72:1Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son.
• Deuteronomy 16:18“Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.
• 2 Samuel 23:3The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me: ‘The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God,
• 2 Chronicles 19:6and he said to them, “Always think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people but to please the Lord. He will be with you when you render the verdict in each case.
• Isaiah 11:3He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay.
• Isaiah 32:1Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him.
• Jeremiah 23:5“For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
• Psalms 82:1God presides over heaven’s court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings:
• Numbers 11:16Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you.
• Deuteronomy 1:15So I took the wise and respected men you had selected from your tribes and appointed them to serve as judges and officials over you. Some were responsible for a thousand people, some for a hundred, some for fifty, and some for ten.
• 2 Samuel 5:3So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.
• Matthew 26:3At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest,
• Matthew 27:1Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death.
• Luke 23:50Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council,

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