Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
Parallel translations
- WEB For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?
- BSB For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
- NKJV Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
- NASB Do you indeed speak righteousness, you gods? Do you judge fairly, you sons of mankind?
- NLT Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David challenges corrupt rulers, asking whether they truly speak righteousness and judge justly. It confronts unjust authorities with God's standard.
Overview
This psalm opens by interrogating 'silent ones' or rulers who fail to speak and judge rightly. The pointed questions expose their injustice and call them to account before God. It introduces a theme of God's judgment on corrupt power, ultimately fulfilled in Christ, the righteous Judge of all the earth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Isa 11:3–5And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
- Ps 57:1Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
- Deut 16:18–19Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
- Ps 72:1–4Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.
- 2 Sam 23:3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
- Jer 23:5–6Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
- 2 Chr 19:6–7And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment.
- Deut 1:15–16So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.
- Ps 82:1–2God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
- Matt 26:3Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
- 2 Sam 5:3So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.
- Luke 23:50–51And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
- Ps 59:1Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
- Ps 82:6–7I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
- Num 11:16And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
- Isa 32:1Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
- Matt 27:1When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
- Acts 5:21And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 58:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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