Psalm 58:6 kjv
Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
Psalm 58:6 nkjv
Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!
Psalm 58:6 niv
Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; LORD, tear out the fangs of those lions!
Psalm 58:6 esv
O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!
Psalm 58:6 nlt
Break off their fangs, O God!
Smash the jaws of these lions, O LORD!
Psalm 58 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 3:7 | Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. | God breaks the power of the wicked. |
| Psa 7:2 | lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces... | Enemies likened to predatory lions. |
| Psa 10:15 | Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call his wickedness to account... | God's intervention against the wicked's power. |
| Psa 35:16 | ...They gnashed their teeth at me. | Enemies express malice through gnashing teeth. |
| Psa 37:17 | For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. | God breaks the power of the wicked. |
| Psa 37:35 | I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a luxuriant tree. | Transient nature and power of the wicked. |
| Psa 57:4 | My soul is among lions; I lie among those who devour... whose teeth are spears... | Enemies depicted as dangerous lions with teeth as weapons. |
| Psa 112:10 | The wicked man sees it and is vexed; he gnashes his teeth and melts away... | The wicked's frustration and eventual demise. |
| Psa 140:6-8 | I said to the Lord, “You are my God... do not grant the desires of the wicked, O Lord; do not further their evil plot.” | Prayer for God to thwart evil intentions. |
| Job 4:10-11 | The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion are silenced; the teeth of the young lions are broken. | God breaking the power of mighty predators. |
| Prov 30:14 | there are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from the earth... | Metaphorical teeth of the wicked used to destroy the vulnerable. |
| Isa 5:29 | their roar is like a lion, like young lions, they roar and seize their prey... | Wicked likened to rapacious lions. |
| Ezek 29:4 | I will put hooks in your jaws, and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales... | God's ultimate control over mighty, destructive forces. |
| Zech 9:8 | Then I will encamp as a guard in front of my house against whoever marches by... no oppressor shall again march through them. | God's protective promise against oppressors. |
| Lam 3:16 | He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes... | Depicts utter humiliation and powerlessness. |
| Matt 3:7 | But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming... he said... "You brood of vipers!" | Condemnation of religious hypocrisy and venomous nature. |
| Rom 12:19 | Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God... | Call for believers to yield vengeance to God. |
| 2 Thes 1:6-7 | since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief... | God's righteous judgment against those who persecute. |
| Rev 19:19-21 | And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war... but the beast was captured... | Final destruction of worldly oppressive powers. |
| Psa 2:4 | He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. | God's ultimate sovereignty over futile human opposition. |
| Dan 7:7 | a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth... | Symbolic destructive power of earthly empires. |
| Joel 1:6 | For a nation has come up against my land, powerful and beyond number; its teeth are lions' teeth... | Metaphor for an overwhelming, destructive army. |
| Nah 1:12-13 | Thus says the Lord, "Though they be strong and many... though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break his yoke from off you..." | God's deliverance by breaking oppressive bonds. |
Psalm 58 verses
Psalm 58 6 Meaning
Psalm 58:6 is a fervent prayer or imprecation calling upon God to dismantle and render powerless the wicked who actively perpetrate injustice. The imagery vividly portrays a request for divine intervention to break the destructive ability of oppressive individuals, likened to disarming dangerous predators by removing their teeth and fangs, thereby nullifying their capacity to harm or devour. It expresses a deep trust that only God can effectively confront and neutralize such profound evil.
Psalm 58 6 Context
Psalm 58 is an imprecatory psalm, part of a collection of Psalms of David, directed towards corrupt and unjust rulers or judges, who are addressed as "gods" (elohim) in Ps 58:1, signifying their position of authority. The psalmist accuses these officials of rendering perverse justice and plots of violence from their birth, embodying innate wickedness. This specific verse (58:6) forms part of a series of curses invoked against them, emphasizing their destructive actions and the psalmist's earnest appeal for God's divine judgment and intervention. The historical and cultural context is one where justice, meant to flow from God through His appointed authorities, was gravely perverted, leading to oppression and suffering for the righteous. The psalm implicitly argues against the idea that such powerful wicked individuals are beyond accountability, directly appealing to God as the ultimate and righteous Judge.
Psalm 58 6 Word analysis
Break (Hebrew: Haros / הֲרֹס): Signifies violent demolition, shattering, or smashing. It's an active and forceful destruction. The psalmist is not asking for mere weakening but for complete disablement of their power.
their teeth (Hebrew: Shinnayim / שִׁנַּיִם): Literally refers to teeth, but metaphorically represents the wicked's instruments of oppression, their ability to harm, exploit, devour, or verbally tear apart others. In ancient cultures, teeth also symbolized power and aggressive consumption.
O God (Hebrew: Elohim / אֱלֹהִים): One of the most common names for God, emphasizing His divine power and role as a supreme Judge. The appeal is directed to the one capable of enacting such definitive judgment.
in their mouth (Hebrew: Pe / פֶּה): The location of the teeth, underscoring that their power for destruction stems directly from them, whether through speech (lying, slandering, unjust decrees) or violent action.
tear out (Hebrew: Natoš / נָתֹץ): Similar to 'break,' but can also mean to pull up, pluck out, or utterly overthrow. It suggests a thorough, uprooting action that removes the very basis of their destructive capability.
the fangs (Hebrew: Metalle'ot / מַתַּלְּעוֹת): Specifically refers to the jaw-teeth or great teeth, especially those of carnivorous animals. This intensifies the predatory imagery. These are the tools that inflict the deepest, most lethal wounds.
of the young lions (Hebrew: Kəphîrîm / כְּפִירִים): Kəphîr refers to a powerful, aggressive young lion, full of vigor and intent on preying. This is a potent metaphor for ruthless, powerful, and ferocious oppressors. They are strong, bold, and seemingly invincible in their pursuit of harm, embodying the pinnacle of destructive power.
O Lord (Hebrew: Adonai / אֲדֹנָי): Another divine name, often used in conjunction with Elohim. It emphasizes God's sovereign authority and His ownership over all creation, reinforcing His right and power to act decisively in justice.
"Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!": This complete phrase forms a parallel prayer for comprehensive disempowerment. The "teeth" and "fangs" represent all forms of destructive power – physical, social, legal, verbal. The repeated address to God using different names (Elohim, Adonai) underscores the solemnity and earnestness of the plea for divine intervention against those who abuse power and justice. The imagery powerfully conveys the psalmist's desire for God to strip the wicked of their means to oppress, leaving them harmless and exposed.
Psalm 58 6 Bonus section
The poetic parallelism in Psalm 58:6—where "break their teeth...in their mouth" is paralleled by "tear out the fangs of the young lions"—strengthens the prayer and deepens its imagery. This is a common Hebrew poetic device that reinforces meaning through repetition or variation. The language is hyperbole, not meant literally but to express the extreme desire for divine judgment and the complete neutralization of evil power. Such psalms serve an important theological function, demonstrating that the righteous can honestly express their anguish and desire for justice to God, recognizing that true vindication and final judgment belong to Him alone. They reflect a robust belief in God's active involvement in the world, ensuring that moral order will ultimately prevail.
Psalm 58 6 Commentary
Psalm 58:6 is a potent example of an imprecatory prayer, where the psalmist calls upon God for severe judgment against those who deliberately and viciously pervert justice. It is not an expression of personal revenge but a plea for righteous divine retribution, born from a profound sense of violated justice and deep faith in God's character as the ultimate Judge. The striking imagery of breaking teeth and tearing out the fangs of young lions vividly illustrates the desire for the complete and utter incapacitation of the wicked's ability to inflict harm. They are likened to savage predators, but the psalmist understands that even the most formidable human oppressors are no match for the sovereign power of God. This verse reminds us that true justice ultimately rests with God, who will, in His time and way, dismantle the power of evil and deliver His people. It fosters reliance on divine justice rather than self-help in the face of profound wrongdoing.