Heading (Psalms 58:1 a).
‘For the Chief Musician, set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David. Michtam.
The heading is a reproduction of the heading to Psalms 57 without the final clause. Psalms 58 is another of the many Psalms dedicated to the Choirmaster or Chief Musician. This may simply indicate Psalms put at his disposal. It is set to the tune Al-tashheth (‘Do not destroy'), and is one of the ‘Psalms of David'. Michtam is probably to be seen as a plea for protection.
Having himself been a victim of injustice, both at the hands of Saul, and at the hands of his duly appointed authorities, David inveighs against injustice in all its forms. It has brought home to him the sinfulness of man in general, and he calls on God to deal with it wherever it is found. He then ends the Psalm in the triumphant assurance that righteousness will prevail because it is God Who judges the earth.
Some have seen in the psalm a reference to Absalom's rebellion, but it is difficult to see how the man who was so grieved over Absalom's death because he loved him so much, could have written of him in such terms. It seems far more likely that the ideas spring from the time when David was himself suffering at the hands of unjust authorities.
Injustice Prevails Where There Should Be Justice (Psalms 58:1-2).
Having constantly experienced injustice at the hands of those who ruled over Israel, David gives his assessment of them. Instead of being men who quietly assess things and come to the right verdict, they make hasty judgments and act violently. It is certainly a fair assessment of the behaviour of Saul.
‘Do you indeed in silence speak righteousness?
Do you judge uprightly, O you sons of men?'
David reminds men of what they are, they are ‘sons of men (adam)', not gods or heavenly beings. And he challenges them to consider as to whether they are wise in their judgments. Are they of those who listen quietly before coming to a verdict? Do they judge uprightly? David's experience is otherwise. He was constantly aware of how much he had suffered as a consequence of those who would not listen to the truth.
To ‘speak righteousness' is in context to pronounce a righteous verdict (it parallels judging uprightly). To do it ‘in silence' (elem) is to act thoughtfully without being swayed by outside voices, or inward prejudices. The wise judge listens and does not talk too much. ‘He who refrains his lips does wisely' (Proverbs 10:19). The Book of Proverbs constantly emphasises the need for the righteous to be silent, and not to judge things precipitately and speak too quickly (Proverbs 10:19; Proverbs 15:28; Proverbs 17:27-28; Proverbs 18:13).
Note On 'Elem (‘in silence').
There is no real justification for emending 'elem (‘in silence'), derived from 'lm - to be speechless, to eliym (‘mighty ones'), and then emending further to elohiym (‘gods'). None of the ancient versions would support such a change, and elem makes good sense as it is. Thus the emendation is unnecessary. It is done by those who are attracted by emendations, (something which has been all too common in the past), as a suggested contrast with ‘sons of men'.
End of note.
‘No, in heart you work wickedness,
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth (or ‘land').'
His reply to his own question is ‘No'. The tendency of men is not to judge uprightly (Psalms 58:1), not to listen (Psalms 58:4-5), but to ‘work unrighteousness' (the word for wickedness constantly contrasts with righteousness), to come to hasty judgments, to be unrighteous of heart, to dispense (weigh out) their own kind of justice through violence. It was an assessment that came from his own experience.