The Meaning of Psalms 58:4 Explained

Psalms 58:4

KJV: Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;

YLT: Their poison is as poison of a serpent, As a deaf asp shutting its ear,

Darby: Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear;

ASV: Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Their poison  [is] like  the poison  of a serpent:  [they are] like the deaf  adder  [that] stoppeth  her ear; 

What does Psalms 58:4 Mean?

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 58:4 mean?

Poison [is] their like the poison of a serpent [They are] like the cobra deaf [that] stops its ear
חֲמַת־ לָ֗מוֹ כִּדְמ֥וּת חֲמַת־ נָחָ֑שׁ כְּמוֹ־ פֶ֥תֶן חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁ יַאְטֵ֥ם אָזְנֽוֹ

חֲמַת־  Poison  [is] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֵמָא 
Sense: heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles.
כִּדְמ֥וּת  like 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular
Root: דְּמוּת  
Sense: likeness, similitude adv.
חֲמַת־  the  poison 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֵמָא 
Sense: heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles.
נָחָ֑שׁ  of  a  serpent 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָחָשׁ  
Sense: serpent, snake.
כְּמוֹ־  [They  are]  like 
Parse: Preposition
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
פֶ֥תֶן  the  cobra 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּתֶן  
Sense: a snake, venomous serpent.
חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁ  deaf 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חֵרֵשׁ  
Sense: deaf.
יַאְטֵ֥ם  [that]  stops 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: אָטַם  
Sense: to shut, shut up, close.
אָזְנֽוֹ  its  ear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.