What can we learn about spiritual deafness from Psalm 58:5? Reading Psalm 58:5 Together “which will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be.” The Picture of the Deaf Cobra - David likens the wicked to a snake that deliberately “shuts its ears” (v. 4) and ignores every attempt to be tamed. - The cobra’s refusal is intentional, not accidental. In the same way, spiritual deafness is a chosen resistance to God’s voice, not a lack of available truth. What Spiritual Deafness Looks Like - Active refusal to listen, even when the message is clear. - A settled, hardened posture of the heart (Isaiah 6:9-10; Acts 28:27). - Ongoing exposure to God’s Word without corresponding obedience (James 1:22-24). - Diminished sensitivity to conviction, resulting in calloused conscience (Ephesians 4:18-19). Roots of Spiritual Deafness • Pride that insists on self-rule (Proverbs 16:18). • Love of sin that drowns out God’s call to repentance (John 3:19-20). • Repeated rejection of truth that produces a seared spiritual ear (Jeremiah 6:10). • Fear of surrendering control, leading to deliberate tuning-out (Zechariah 7:11-12). The Seriousness of Spiritual Deafness - Prayer becomes ineffective when God’s law is ignored (Proverbs 28:9). - Continued unbelief invites divine judgment (Hebrews 3:15-19). - Loss of spiritual discernment leaves the soul vulnerable to deception (2 Timothy 4:3-4). - Hardened ears rob believers of intimacy with the Shepherd’s voice (John 10:27). The Cure Provided by God • New birth grants new hearing—“He who has an ear, let him hear” (Revelation 2:7). • The Spirit softens hearts of stone and writes the law within (Ezekiel 36:26-27). • Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). • Ongoing submission keeps the heart tender and receptive (Hebrews 4:7). Daily Practices for Keeping Ears Open - Invite Scripture to search and judge thoughts (Hebrews 4:12-13). - Act promptly on what God says, preventing callouses from forming (Luke 11:28). - Cultivate stillness that favors hearing over speaking (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2). - Stay in fellowship where mutual exhortation sharpens sensitivity (Hebrews 10:24-25). - Regularly recall the cost of ignoring God’s voice, letting holy fear guard the ear (Psalm 95:7-11). Living Alert to God’s Voice Psalm 58:5 warns that deliberate deafness is possible, deadly, and ultimately self-inflicted. The Lord graciously offers new ears and a responsive heart. Walking in humble, immediate obedience keeps those ears open, receptive, and joyful in the sound of the Shepherd’s call. |
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