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Psalms 58:1 — King James Version← Study notes

Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?


Psalms 58:1Hebrew Interlinear

Hebrew · Psalms 58:15 words
HebrewMeaning
לַ/מְנַצֵּ֥חַlamənaṣēḥa
to the choirmasterpronH5329
chief musician · oversee · set forward
אַלʾal
al-particleH516
תַּשְׁחֵ֗תtašəḥēt
tashchethverbH516
לְ/דָוִ֥דlədāwid
of DavidpronH1732
מִכְתָּֽםmikətām
a miktamnounH4387
Words are listed top to bottom following the original right-to-left reading order. אֵת (ʾēṯ) is a direct object marker with no English equivalent, shown faded.

Church Fathers on Psalms 58:1

1. 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 57:1. 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…

Augustine · 4th century · Exposition on Psalm 58 (excerpt)
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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Emre YilmazNote3mo ago
When Leaders Betray Justice
The psalm opens with an assumption that throws modern readers off balance. Do the mighty really speak righteousness? The answer is brutally honest: no. They speak injustice. They love violence. The ps...
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