Walk Of Life – Day 20, September 2022 – Thoughts From The Book Of Psalms

Psalm 58 – Wicked Leaders Are Judged

This Psalm is a Miktam of David addressed to the Chief Musicians set to the tune of “Do not destroy”.  A Miktam is a musical term used by David which means golden or golden psalms are a total of six psalms:16, 56-60 in the Books of Psalms. Out of which four psalms are set to the tune of “Do not destroy” which appears to be composed when David was on a run hiding from King Saul. In this psalm David talks about the rulers whom God appointed to lead his people justly but have given into wickedness and about the judgement that God will bring about on these unjust leaders.

Wicked Rulers
By his experience David expresses how the rulers had shown wickedness towards him.

• Wicked are schemers: Like how a welder contrives materials, forges and hammers the metal to make something destructive as a sword, wickedness is also built up in the heart, worked with evil intentions till one can fit them into actions.
• Wicked remain silent: There were many leaders or judges in Saul’s court who chose to remain silent or were aligned with Saul’s evil decision in proclaiming David as a traitor although they knew of his innocence.
• Wicked are liars: The corrupt nature in the rulers is evident by birth. Harmless as it seems when a child lies when he/she is caught doing a mistake, it grows to become a poisonous way of life.
• Wicked are oppressors: The words of judges or rulers of Israel were as dangerous as that of a venom of a cobra, oppressing others and leading God’s people astray.

Cry Of The Suffering
Outraged by the corruption in the leadership in the kingdom of Israel and the suffering that he was experiencing because of it, David cried to God in anguish to take vengeance on their wickedness.

• The power of the lion lies in their fangs called grinders which is used in breaking and tearing of what they want to eat. David prayed to God to break the source of their wickedness.
• He prayed that their wickedness would vanish just like the stream of water would evaporate by the sun or absorbed by the sand in the desert.
• He prayed that God would make every scheme of the wicked to fail like a weak arrow when shot misses and hits off the target.
• He prayed that God would melt away his enemies only to leave a slimy trail like a snail would leave behind.
• He wished that they were never born so that they would not have to face the judgment of God.

God’s Judgement

• There is God, the wicked and the righteous in this world. When the cries of the oppressed comes to its brim, the God who is also called consuming fire will act on behalf of the righteous and burn the wickedness of the world like the dry thorns that would burn away quickly under the cooking pot or be blown away by the whirlwind.

This psalm concludes assuring us that justice may be denied to the righteous by the wicked rulers, but God who is a Judge of the whole world sees and listen to the cry of his righteous children, will act on their behalf when the time is ripe. So, do not think that you have toiled in vain all these years doing the work of the Lord, for “surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely He is God who judges in the earth.” Psalms 58:11