Psalm 58 - There is a God

Psalm 58 - There is a God

Read: Psalm 58 vs 1-11

The world of the Psalms was a very different world than we live in today. ‘Rulers’ whether of a tribe or nation were people who dominated the lives of ordinary people. Leaders were strong and the strongest leaders survived. 

The presence of ‘rulers’ provide a backdrop to the book of Psalms. From Psalm 2 (at the beginning) through to Psalm 148 (at the end) ‘rulers’ are a group of people who the Psalmists are aware of, who they thing about and who they pray about. 

Psalm 58 begins with a question put to these rulers and it is a question to do with ‘justice’ and ‘equity’. These words are to do with fairness, they are to do with treating everyone as being of equal value and worth, they are in Jesus’ words to do with ‘doing to others what you would have them do to you’ (Matthew 7:12). Psalm 58 calls rulers to account, declaring to them that there are God given values and standards that they will one day be measured against. This Psalm declares that leaders are neither unaccountable (as they often would have been in these days) nor are they ultimately accountable to the people or even to human laws (the basis on which our society is founded). Psalm 58 tells us that rulers and leaders are accountable to God. 

When we look at leaders who ignore these values of justice and equity it saddens us, but if we are sensitive to the needs of others it also angers us. There is a tine of lament in David’s words in this Psalm but he is also angry. Yet all of these emotions (and Psalm 58 shows us that its ok to be very emotional in our prayers) find their expression not in David calling out to these leaders, but in calling out to God about these leaders. A Bible shaped worldview puts God at the centre of all reality. He is the One true and good judge, and one day he will judge the earth (vs 11).

Christians are people who pray for their leaders (1 Timothy 2:2), however those leaders lead, and however those leaders act. We pray believing that our leaders are not ultimately accountable to us. We pray that they will rule as those accountable to the judge of all. 

Prayer: Father today I pray for those who rule over us. Help our leaders to be men and women who love justice and who are ambitious to rule for the good of all. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.