The Meaning of Psalms 58:11 Explained

Psalms 58:11

KJV: So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

YLT: And man saith: 'Surely fruit is for the righteous: Surely there is a God judging in the earth!'

Darby: And men shall say, Verily there is fruit for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.

ASV: So that men shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So that a man  shall say,  Verily [there is] a reward  for the righteous:  verily he is  a God  that judgeth  in the earth. 

What does Psalms 58:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Taking the longer view, the just would find encouragement to continue trusting in the Lord because He punished the wicked rulers. They would renew their purpose to continue to obey Him.
Why did David not punish the unjust judges in Israel himself? He certainly had the authority to do so since he was the king. Perhaps he did punish them. This psalm shows that as Israel"s king, David looked to Yahweh as the ultimate authority in Israel. David"s view of his own relationship to Yahweh was proper and admirable. Even though he had the authority to punish the wicked, he still looked to God as the Person who had final authority over them, and he appealed to Him to act.
Believers should pray about unjust rulers and ask God to deal with them righteously. Even when we have the authority to punish them, we should still look to God as the ultimate authority (sovereign) and express our submission to His will by praying.

Context Summary

Psalms 58:1-11 - "there Is A God That Judgeth"
This psalm is launched against wicked rulers. It may have been occasioned by the attitude of Abner and others of Saul's party, who accounted David as a rebel and outlaw and urged vindictive measures against him.
Their sin, Psalms 58:1-6
Poison is literally "burning heat." Such is the effect of venomous words, into which the malice of the great serpent is infused. Evil men, capable of such speech, resemble the snake tribe, which will respond only to the shrillest notes. Hot speech to man and deaf ears to God go together.
Their doom, Psalms 58:6-9
For let them read they shall, Psalms 58:7. The imperative and predictive future are in Hebrew expressed by similar words. Note the remarkable comparisons-the lion's broken jaw-tooth, the ebbing tide, the snail scorched by intense heat, the untimely birth, the quickly-expiring fire, the cyclone! Sin inevitably brings penalty, and herein is God's moral government vindicated.
The contrast, Psalms 58:10-11
As the weary traveler is refreshed when his feet are washed, so the saints are glad to see God's vindication of the righteous. There is a wide difference between the gratification of personal vengeance, and a consuming zeal to uphold God's character. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 58

1  David reproves wicked judges
3  describes the nature of the wicked
6  devotes them to God's judgments
10  whereat the righteous shall rejoice

What do the individual words in Psalms 58:11 mean?

So that will say men surely [there is] a reward for the righteous surely He is God who judges in the earth
וְיֹאמַ֣ר אָ֭דָם אַךְ־ פְּרִ֣י לַצַּדִּ֑יק אַ֥ךְ יֵשׁ־ אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים שֹׁפְטִ֥ים בָּאָֽרֶץ

וְיֹאמַ֣ר  So  that  will  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָ֭דָם  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
אַךְ־  surely 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
פְּרִ֣י  [there  is]  a  reward 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
לַצַּדִּ֑יק  for  the  righteous 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
אַ֥ךְ  surely 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
יֵשׁ־  He  is 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
שֹׁפְטִ֥ים  who  judges 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
בָּאָֽרֶץ  in  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.