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"...surely there is a God who judges on earth."

~ Psalm 58:11b

 

As you read this psalm, it may strike you as improperly graphic, vengeful and bloodthirsty (v.6-9); and perhaps that it has no place in God’s Word.  But Psalm 58 is a psalm of honest realism.  This psalm is about God’s justice…of his putting all things right.  And despite the violent nature of what is said, this is nonetheless God’s inspired Word.  We have no right to put ourselves in the place of judge or arbiter over God’s Word.  If the words of this psalm cause my heart to bristle, it is my heart that needs to change, not God’s Word.

David here accuses the civil authorities and national leaders (“gods”) of injustice and unrighteousness (v.1-2).  David identifies the source of these “devised wrongs” as their estrangement from God and their depravity from before birth (v.3), their rejection of instruction (v.4), and their despising of correction (v.5).

David then calls for God to deal justly with them (v.6-9).  To give them not something worse than they deserve, but exactly what they do deserve (for that is what justice is!).  David’s heart is in parallel with God’s heart in his desire for the eradication of wickedness.  But he understands that it is not his place to bring retribution or to avenge these wrongs.  He asks that GOD would make their deeds nonlethal (v.6) and to be rid of them forever (v.7-9).  We must be careful in our imprecations (invoking God’s curse) of the wicked, entrusting ourselves to God’s faithfulness in character and to his promises. 

David concludes by looking ahead to the day when the righteous will rejoice in the sure and full and final judgment of God (v.10).  The righteous receiving a reward is also a part of God’s perfect justice (v.11).  We know that those who are righteous are only those who are in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Jesus will have the victory (Rev.18-20) and we will share in the victory of the Lamb!