READ: Ps. 58:1-12: … judges … injustice in your heart … wicked … liars … let them perish … Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth!
Psalm 58 also speaks of a distressing situation. Within Israel David has to deal with wicked liars who commit injustice but are not punished. From verse 7 onward this draws from David a supplication to God to punish people who pervert justice so that they may be permanently eliminated.
But first David addresses the judges of Israel. Is it not their task to pronounce judgment according to the justice of God? Only thus can there be peace in a society in which relationships are good and God can be served in freedom. Where the exercise of that justice is lacking there is chaos and unrest; there the law of the strongest reigns and the weak are oppressed.. Then judges act according to their own preference.
The worst expression of perversion of justice took place in the false condemnation of our Savior Jesus Christ, the only completely innocent Man, by the judges of the church (Sanhedrin) and the government (Pilate), through which He had to undergo death on the cross.
David, who foreshadows Him, suffered greatly from falsejudgments accopanied with unjust and merciless persecution.
David compares the methods of these wicked men with fiery serpent venom from untamable adders (vs.5,6). It is especially the LORD God who is dishonored by wicked judgment. Therefore David’s supplication is that He silence them permanently.
We can understand David’s prayer for vengeance only when we remember that all this perversion of justice is directed against God. It is not a cry for personal revenge.
This also appears from the final verse concerning the effect of the vengeance and the preservation of the believer: “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth!” That is reason for joy.
How is it with justice in our time?
Singing: Ps. 58:1,2,5