The tribulation will be “unmatched from the beginning of the world until now” (Mt 24:21, BSB). What will the faithful sing?
Although we’ve had hints of this before (in Psalms 5, 10, 17, and 35), when we come to Psalm 58, we are reading a fully-developed Imprecatory Psalm. An imprecation is “a calling down of God’s judgment on the wicked.” Other Psalms that include such calls for vengeance are 59, 69, 70, 79, 83, 109, 129, 137, and 140. The Christian’s ear is not attuned to such language. How do we reconcile these words with the teaching of Christ to “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you” (Mt 5:44)? How could we ever ask Him to “break their teeth in their mouth” (Ps 58:6)? First, we notice that this is not personal, some action taken against David. He is calling for God’s judgment upon unjust judges so as to reestablish a just society. They are “silent ones” (v 1) who should be speaking out against such travesties. They also “will not heed the voice” (v 5) of those pleading their cases. Seeing so many of these psalms entrusted “To the Chief Musician,” we understand a variety of subjects was provided for every age and circumstance. The Holy Spirit prepared this array to anticipate any need the child of God might face. So what would the persecuted Jews have to sing—or sob—in the horrible days of the “time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jer 30:7)? These Imprecatory Psalms would provide a hymnbook for the remnant during the Great Tribulation. And what will be the final result? “Men will say, ‘Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely He is God who judges in the earth’” (Ps 58:11). Although God is very longsuffering, we can’t expect Him to be one of the “silent ones.” And remember: all judgment is in nail-pierced hands. The same One who today pleads, “Come to Me” will one day say, “Depart from Me.”