Psalm 58:4 Study Bible: Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; like a deaf viper that stops its ear,

◄ Psalm 58:4 ►

Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears,

Their venom is like the venom of a snake
This phrase uses the imagery of venom to describe the harmful and destructive nature of the wicked. In biblical times, snakes were often associated with danger and deceit, as seen in Genesis 3 with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. The venom symbolizes the deadly and corrupting influence of evil actions and words. This metaphor is consistent with other biblical references to the tongue's power, such as in James 3:8, which describes the tongue as "full of deadly poison."

like a cobra that shuts its ears
Cobras, known for their deadly bite, are used here to emphasize the stubbornness and unresponsiveness of the wicked. The image of a cobra shutting its ears suggests an intentional refusal to listen to wisdom or correction. This can be connected to Proverbs 1:24-25, where wisdom calls out, but the foolish refuse to listen. The shutting of ears also reflects a hardened heart, a theme seen throughout Scripture, such as in Pharaoh's hardened heart in Exodus. This imagery underscores the idea that the wicked are not only dangerous but also willfully ignorant and resistant to change.

Persons / Places / Events

1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 58, David is expressing his frustration and righteous anger against corrupt judges and leaders.

2. Serpent
A metaphor used in this verse to describe the wickedness and deceitfulness of corrupt individuals. The serpent is often associated with danger and evil in biblical literature.

3. Cobra
Specifically mentioned in this verse, the cobra is known for its deadly venom and is used to illustrate the lethal and insidious nature of the wicked.

Teaching Points

The Nature of Wickedness
Wickedness is often subtle and insidious, like the venom of a serpent. We must be vigilant and discerning in recognizing and confronting it.

The Danger of Ignoring Wisdom
The cobra that "shuts its ears" symbolizes those who refuse to listen to wisdom and correction. As believers, we should remain open to God's guidance and correction.

Righteous Anger Against Injustice
David's lament highlights the importance of righteous anger against injustice. We should be motivated to seek justice and righteousness in our communities.

Guarding Our Hearts and Tongues
Just as venom can spread and cause harm, so can our words and actions. We must guard our hearts and tongues to prevent harm to others.

Trusting in God's Justice
Despite the presence of wickedness, we can trust in God's ultimate justice and righteousness. He will judge the wicked in His perfect timing.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the metaphor of the serpent in Psalm 58:4 help us understand the nature of wickedness?

2. In what ways can we ensure that we are not like the "cobra that shuts its ears" to God's wisdom and correction?

3. How can we balance righteous anger against injustice with a spirit of love and forgiveness?

4. What practical steps can we take to guard our hearts and tongues from spreading "venom"?

5. How can we find comfort and assurance in God's justice when we see wickedness prevailing in the world?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 3
The serpent in the Garden of Eden represents deceit and temptation, similar to the deceitful nature of the wicked described in Psalm 58:4.

Matthew 23
Jesus condemns the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and wickedness, akin to the corrupt judges David speaks against in Psalm 58.

James 3
Discusses the power of the tongue and its potential for harm, paralleling the deadly "venom" of the wicked.

Sermons

A Generation of Serpents	Thomas Adams.	Psalm 58:4
The Deafness of Sinners	Henry Ward Beecher.	Psalm 58:4
A Bold Protest Against Unrighteous Judges	C. Short	Psalm 58:1-11
Faith in Righteousness	J. Stalker, D. D.	Psalm 58:1-11
Man in Many Aspects	Homilist	Psalm 58:1-11
The Perversion of Justice	Plutarch.	Psalm 58:1-11
Unjust Judges	W. Forsyth	Psalm 58:1-11

People

David, Psalmist, Saul

Places

Jerusalem

Topics

Adder, Asp, Cobra, Deaf, Ear, Ears, Poison, Serpent, Shut, Shutting, Snake, Stopped, Stoppeth, Stops, Venom

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Psalm 58:4

     4500   poison
     4604   animals, nature of
     5132   biting

Psalm 58:4-5

4687 snake
5148 ear

Library

Of Internal Acts
Of Internal Acts Acts are distinguished into External and Internal. External acts are those which bear relation to some sensible object, and are either morally good or evil, merely according to the nature of the principle from which they proceed. I intend here to speak only of Internal acts, those energies of the soul, by which it turns internally to some objects, and averts from others. If during my application to God I should form a will to change the nature of my act, I thereby withdraw myself …
Madame Guyon—A Short and Easy Method of Prayer

Epistle vi. To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari).
To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). Gregory to Januarius, &c. The Jews who have come hither from your city have complained to us that Peter, who has been brought by the will of God from their superstition to the worship of Christian faith, having taken with him certain disorderly persons, on the day after his baptism, that is on the Lord's day of the very Paschal festival, with grave scandal and without your consent, had taken possession of their synagogue in Caralis, and placed there the …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Peaceable Principles and True: Or, a Brief Answer to Mr. D'Anver's and Mr. Paul's Books against My Confession of Faith, and Differences in Judgment About Baptism no Bar to Communion.
WHEREIN THEIR SCRIPTURELESS NOTIONS ARE OVERTHROWN, AND MY PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES STILL MAINTAINED. 'Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?'--Psalm 58:1 SIR, I have received and considered your short reply to my differences in judgment about water baptism no bar to communion; and observe, that you touch not the argument at all: but rather labour what you can, and beyond what you ought, to throw odiums upon your brother for reproving you for your error, …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Faith the Sole Saving Act.
JOHN vi. 28, 29.--"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." In asking their question, the Jews intended to inquire of Christ what particular things they must do, before all others, in order to please God. The "works of God," as they denominate them, were not any and every duty, but those more special and important acts, by which the creature might secure …
William G.T. Shedd—Sermons to the Natural Man

Augustin's Part in the Controversy.
Both by nature and by grace, Augustin was formed to be the champion of truth in this controversy. Of a naturally philosophical temperament, he saw into the springs of life with a vividness of mental perception to which most men are strangers; and his own experiences in his long life of resistance to, and then of yielding to, the drawings of God's grace, gave him a clear apprehension of the great evangelic principle that God seeks men, not men God, such as no sophistry could cloud. However much his …
St. Augustine—Anti-Pelagian Writings

Moral Depravity.
VIII. Let us consider the proper method of accounting for the universal and total moral depravity of the unregenerate moral agents of our race. In the discussion of this subject, I will-- 1. Endeavor to show how it is not to be accounted for. In examining this part of the subject, it is necessary to have distinctly in view that which constitutes moral depravity. All the error that has existed upon this subject, has been founded in false assumptions in regard to the nature or essence of moral depravity. …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

An Address to the Regenerate, Founded on the Preceding Discourses.
James I. 18. James I. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. I INTEND the words which I have now been reading, only as an introduction to that address to the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, with which I am now to conclude these lectures; and therefore shall not enter into any critical discussion, either of them, or of the context. I hope God has made the series of these discourses, in some measure, useful to those …
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

The Necessity of Actual Grace
In treating of the necessity of actual grace we must avoid two extremes. The first is that mere nature is absolutely incapable of doing any thing good. This error was held by the early Protestants and the followers of Baius and Jansenius. The second is that nature is able to perform supernatural acts by its own power. This was taught by the Pelagians and Semipelagians. Between these two extremes Catholic theology keeps the golden mean. It defends the capacity of human nature against Protestants and …
Joseph Pohle—Grace, Actual and Habitual

The Mystery
Of the Woman dwelling in the Wilderness. The woman delivered of a child, when the dragon was overcome, from thenceforth dwelt in the wilderness, by which is figured the state of the Church, liberated from Pagan tyranny, to the time of the seventh trumpet, and the second Advent of Christ, by the type, not of a latent, invisible, but, as it were, an intermediate condition, like that of the lsraelitish Church journeying in the wilderness, from its departure from Egypt, to its entrance into the land …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse

The Justice of God
The next attribute is God's justice. All God's attributes are identical, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he has but one essence. A cedar tree may have several branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are several attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but only one entire essence. Well, then, concerning God's justice. Deut 32:4. Just and right is he.' Job 37:23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Wrath of God
What does every sin deserve? God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.' Matt 25: 41. Man having sinned, is like a favourite turned out of the king's favour, and deserves the wrath and curse of God. He deserves God's curse. Gal 3: 10. As when Christ cursed the fig-tree, it withered; so, when God curses any, he withers in his soul. Matt 21: 19. God's curse blasts wherever it comes. He deserves also God's wrath, which is …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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