Psalms 58:1
in Psalms 58Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Do ye indeed in silence speak righteousness? Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
KJV
Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
⋯
This verse in Psalms 58
Commentary
11 notes on this verseDo ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation?.... Of the mighty, as in Psa 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.
This site's exposition
Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers
on Psalms 58:1-2
Verse 1 puts two questions to the men who judge, whether they speak justly and judge uprightly. Verse 2 answers both: in their hearts they devise injustice, and their hands mete out violence. Psalm 82:2 puts the same charge to judges.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The words which we have sung must be rather hearkened to by us, than proclaimed. For to all men as it were in an assemblage of mankind, the Truth cries, "If truly indeed justice ye speak, judge right things, you sons of men" [Psalm 58:1]. For to what unjust man is it not an easy thing to speak justice? Or what man if questioned about justice, when he has not a cause, would not easily answer what is just? Inasmuch as the hand of our Maker in our very hearts has written this truth, "That which to yourself you would not have done, do not do to another." [Tobit 4:15] Of this truth, even before that the Law was given, no one was suffered to be ignorant, in order that there might be some rule whereby might be judged even those to whom Law had not been given. But lest men should complain that something had been wanting for them, there has been written also in tables that which in their hearts they read not. For it was not that they had it not written, but read it they would not. There has been set before their eyes that which in their conscience to see they would be compelled; and as if from without the voice of God were brought to them, to his own inward parts has man been thus driven, the Scripture saying, "For in the thoughts of the ungodly man there will be questioning." [Wisdom 1:9] Where questioning is, there is law. But because men, desiring those things which are without, even from themselves have become exiles, there has been given also a written law: not because in hearts it had not been written, but because you were a deserter from your heart, you are seized by Him that is everywhere, and to yourself within art called back. Therefore the written law, what cries it, to those that have deserted the law written in their hearts? […]
How, then, did Christ say, "All things that I have heard from the Father I have made known to you," except in this way, that what he was certainly going to accomplish through the Holy Spirit, he spoke to us as if he had already accomplished it? Therefore, whenever we hear that one who believes in Christ will not be judged, we are to understand that he will not be condemned. The word judged is used in place of "condemned," as where the apostle says, "Let not him who does not eat condemn him who eats," that is, let him not think evil of him. And the Lord says, "Do not judge that you may not be judged." He does not take from us the power to judge, since the prophet also declares, "If you truly love justice, judge right things, O sons of men." And the Lord says, "Judge not according to personal considerations, but render a just judgment." But, in that passage where he forbids judging, he admonishes us not to condemn a person whose purpose is hidden from us, or when we do not know how a person will turn out later on. Accordingly, when he said, "He shall not come to judgment," he meant that he will not come to damnation. And in saying "but he who does not believe is already judged," he meant that such a person stands already condemned in the foreknowledge of God, who knows what is in store for nonbelievers.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): " Do you indeed speak righteousness, or judge uprightly? No; you are far from it; your own consciences cannot but tell you that you do not discharge the trust reposed in you as magistrates, by which you are bound to be a terror to evil-doers and a praise to those that do well. Is this the justice you pretend to administer?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
He imprecates and foretels their ruin, and the judgments which the righteous God would bring upon them for their injustice (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? The enemies of David were a numerous and united band, and because they so unanimously condemned the persecuted one, they were apt to take it for granted that their verdict was a right one. "What everybody says must be true, "is a lying proverb based upon the presumption which comes of large combinations. Have we not all agreed to hound the man to the death, and who dare hint that so many great ones can be mistaken?
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
O congregation--literally, "Oh, dumb"; the word used is never translated "congregation." "Are ye dumb? ye should speak righteousness," may be the translation.
Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? The enemies of David were a numerous and united band, and because they so unanimously condemned the persecuted one, they were apt to take it for granted that their verdict was a right one. "What everybody says must be true, "is a lying proverb based upon the presumption which comes of large combinations. Have we not all agreed to hound the man to the death, and who dare hint that so many great ones can be mistaken? Yet the persecuted one lays the axe at the root by requiring his judges to answer the question whether or not they were acting according to justice. It were well if men would sometimes pause, and candidly consider this. Some of those who surrounded Saul were rather passive than active persecutors; they held their tongues when the object of royal hate was slandered; in the original, this first sentence appears to be addressed to them, and they are asked to justify their silence. Silence gives consent. He who refrains from defending the right is himself an accomplice in the wrong. Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? Ye too are only men though dressed in a little brief authority. Your office for men, and your relation to men both bind you to rectitude; but have ye remembered this? Have ye not put aside all truth when ye have condemned the godly, and united in seeking the overthrow of the innocent? Yet in doing this be not too sure of success, or ye are only the "sons of men, "and there is a God who can and will reverse your verdicts.
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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 Psa 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 words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַֽאֻמְנָ֗ם | haumnam | ¿ really | H552 → | |
| אֵ֣לֶם | ʾelem | silence | H482 → | |
| צֶ֭דֶק | tzedek | righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| תְּדַבֵּר֑וּן | tedaberun | do you speak ! | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| מֵישָׁרִ֥ים | meisharim | uprightness<es> | H4339 → | 19 times |
| תִּ֝שְׁפְּט֗וּ | tishpetu | do you judge? | H8199 → | 202 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] children of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אָדָֽם׃ | ʾadam | humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
הַֽאֻמְנָ֗ם¿ really
haumnamH552 →
אֵ֣לֶםsilence
ʾelemH482 →
צֶ֭דֶקrighteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
תְּדַבֵּר֑וּןdo you speak !
tedaberunH1696 →1141 times
מֵישָׁרִ֥יםuprightness<es>
meisharimH4339 →19 times
תִּ֝שְׁפְּט֗וּdo you judge?
tishpetuH8199 →202 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] children of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
אָדָֽם׃humankind
ʾadamH120 →551 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 57:1Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy, for in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until the danger has passed.
it leads to
- Psalms 91:4
He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart.
- Psalms 36:7
How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!
- Psalms 17:7–8
Show the wonders of Your loving devotion, You who save by Your right hand those who seek refuge from their foes.
- Psalms 9:10
Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
- Psalms 63:7
For You are my help; I will sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.
- Psalms 91:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 58; Augustine of Hippo, CHRISTIAN COMBAT 27:29; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.