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Illustration for Psalm 58: God Judges Fairly

Psalm 58

God Judges Fairly

When AfraidComfort

This psalm asks whether the rulers and judges of the earth are really being fair. Sometimes leaders make bad decisions and treat people unjustly. But God is the ultimate Judge who will make everything right in the end.

  1. 1Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity?
  2. 2No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
  3. 3Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.
  4. 4Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
  5. 5that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be.
  6. 6Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; tear out the fangs of the lions, O LORD.
  7. 7Let them vanish like water that flows away; when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted.
  8. 8Like a slug that melts away as it moves along, like a stillborn child, may they not see the sun.
  9. 9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns— whether they be green or dry— the wicked will be swept away.
  10. 10The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
  11. 11Then it will be said, "Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth."

What it means

This psalm asks a hard question: what happens when the people in charge are not fair? It is honest that unfairness makes us angry. The answer is not to take revenge ourselves, but to bring that anger to God, who is the Judge who always gets it right in the end.

A little prayer

God, it makes me upset when things are not fair and grown-ups get it wrong. I am telling You about it instead of trying to get even. Thank You that You are a Judge who is always fair. Amen.

Memory verse

“Then it will be said, "Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth."”

Psalm 58:11 (BSB)

It insists that fairness exists somewhere, even when it is missing everywhere you can see.

Talk about it

Questions with no single right answer — for a family table or a Sunday-school circle.

  1. The psalm asks whether the people in charge are really being fair. Is that a safe question to ask?
  2. It says wrongdoing starts early and goes deep. Do you think people learn to be unkind, or start that way?
  3. The psalm is angry. Is anger at unfairness a good thing?
  4. Where have you seen a decision that was not fair?

Try this

The unfair game

Play a simple game where one player is secretly given an unfair advantage. Play three rounds, then reveal it. Talk about how the unfairness felt, and read verse 1.

You will need: Any board or card game.

Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB)