Why read Psalm 58?
Psalm 58 gives words to a prayer for protection from aggression and hostility. The account of threatening enemies is followed by trust in God as a refuge and praise for His mercy.
You can read this psalm when its themes speak to your circumstances, or as part of your regular reading of the Psalter. This explanation draws on the text itself; the psalm is not reserved for one particular need.
Psalm 58 opens the heart with the cry "Deliver me from mine enemies, O God..." — and from those that rise up against me, redeem me. It is one of the 21-verse psalms of the Eighth Kathisma, and it is said both at the services and in prayer at home — the Psalter being the constant companion of the Orthodox Christian. The Orthodox Septuagint numbering is preserved: this Psalm 58 corresponds to Psalm 59 in Hebrew numbering.
The text of Psalm 58
1. Deliver me from mine enemies, O God, and from them that rise up against me redeem me.
2. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and from men of blood save me.
3. For behold, they have hunted after my soul; the mighty have stood against me.
4. Neither is it my iniquity, nor my sin, O Lord. Without iniquity have I run, and directed myself unto Thee;
5. Arise to meet me, and behold. And Thou, O Lord God of hosts, God of Israel,
6. Draw near to visit all the nations; be not merciful to all them that work iniquity.
7. They shall return at evening and suffer hunger like a dog, and go round about the city.
8. Behold, they shall speak with their mouth, and a sword in their lips, for who hath heard them?
9. But Thou, O Lord, shalt laugh them to scorn; Thou shalt bring to nought all the nations.
10. I will keep my strength toward Thee, for Thou, O God, art my supporter. My God, Thy mercy shall meet me;
11. God shall show me the overthrow of my enemies.
12. Slay them not, lest at any time they forget Thy law;
13. Scatter them by Thy power, and bring them down, O Lord, my protector.
14. The sin of their mouth is the word of their lips; let them be taken in their pride, and news of their cursing and lying shall spread.
15. Consume them in Thy wrath, consume them, that they be no more!
16. And they shall know that God ruleth Jacob, and the ends of the earth.
17. They shall return at evening and suffer hunger like a dog, and go round about the city.
18. They shall be scattered abroad to eat; and if they be not filled, they shall murmur.
19. But I will sing Thy strength, and rejoice at Thy mercy in the morning.
20. For Thou hast been my supporter and my refuge in the day of my trouble.
21. Thou art my helper; unto Thee will I sing, for Thou, O God, art my supporter; my God, my mercy.
When Psalm 58 is read
- It belongs to the Eighth Kathisma — the psalms are read in full in the cycle of the kathismata, at Matins and Vespers.
- At the end of each psalm, the tradition adds: "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen."
Neighbouring psalms
Read also
The numbering follows the Orthodox Psalter (Septuagint). The same psalm may have a different number in other Bible editions.
