How does Psalm 58:3 align with the idea of free will? Text of Psalm 58:3 “The wicked are estranged from the womb; liars go astray from birth.” Immediate Literary Setting Psalm 58 is an imprecatory psalm of David, denouncing corrupt rulers (vv. 1–2) and awaiting God’s righteous judgment (vv. 6–11). Verse 3 diagnoses the moral root of such injustice: a congenital bent toward evil that manifests in deliberate deception. Original Sin and Moral Inability Psalm 58:3 coheres with Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Job 14:4; Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12–19. Humanity’s nature—since Adam—carries an innate corruption. This corruption does not erase personhood, intellect, or volition; it skews them so that, left to themselves, people invariably choose self over God (Jeremiah 17:9). Biblical Free Will Defined Scripture presents two complementary truths: 1. Humans make real, meaningful choices and are morally accountable (Deuteronomy 30:19; Joshua 24:15; Matthew 23:37; Acts 17:30). 2. The unregenerate will is enslaved to sin (John 8:34; Romans 6:16–20; 1 Corinthians 2:14). Freedom in the biblical sense is the capacity to act according to one’s nature without external coercion. Fallen humanity “freely” sins because sin is its preferred inclination. Compatibilism: Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility Psalm 58:3 affirms God’s exhaustive foreknowledge and sovereign plan (Psalm 139:16) while upholding genuine human agency. Scripture consistently marries the two: Joseph’s brothers “meant evil… but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20); Jesus was “delivered over by the predetermined plan… and you nailed to a cross” (Acts 2:23). Thus, inherited sinfulness explains why people universally choose evil, not that they are forced to do so. Historical Theology • Augustine labeled the verse a classic testimony to massa perditionis—the mass of humanity in sin. • The Reformers used it to articulate total depravity, yet simultaneously defended free will as “voluntary servitude” (Calvin, Institutes 2.2.7). • Contemporary analytic philosophers term the position “soft compatibilism,” maintaining agency under moral inability. Christ as the Remedy for the Bondage of the Will John 8:36: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Regeneration replaces the heart of stone with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26), enabling a truly liberated will that delights in God (Philippians 2:13). Common Objections Answered • “Genetic Determinism?” Psalm 58:3 speaks of moral heredity, not DNA compulsion. Scripture disavows fatalism (Ezekiel 18:20). • “Unfair Judgment?” Divine justice considers both nature and deeds; condemnation rests on willing sin (Romans 1:20; 2:6). • “Infant Damnation?” The verse diagnoses nature, not personal guilt of infants; passages such as 2 Samuel 12:23 and Matthew 19:14 suggest God’s mercy toward those lacking capacity for moral choice. Practical Implications • Evangelism: Highlight humanity’s universal need (Romans 3:23) and Christ’s exclusive sufficiency (John 14:6). • Discipleship: Encourage believers to rely on the Spirit’s power to will and to work (Philippians 2:12-13). • Apologetics: Use Psalm 58:3 to explain the pervasive reality of evil without surrendering the concept of meaningful choice. Conclusion Psalm 58:3 depicts a sin-warped nature present from the womb, yet Scripture everywhere affirms human accountability and the call to repent. Far from negating free will, the verse illuminates why grace is indispensable: only divine intervention can reorient the will to choose the good and glorify God. |
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