Psalms 58:6

6 Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O LORD !

Psalms 58:6 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 58:6

Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth
From the description of the wicked, the psalmist passes to imprecations on his enemies; whom he represents as cruel and bloodthirsty, and as being stronger than he; and therefore he applies to God, who could, as he sometimes did, smite his enemies on the cheekbone, and break the teeth of the ungodly; which is done by taking the power and instruments of hurting from them: and it may be by "their teeth in their mouth" may be meant their malicious words, calumnies, and detractions; teeth being the instrument of speech; and by "breaking" them, preventing the mischief designed by them;

break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord:
Saul was the old lion; his princes, nobles, and courtiers, the young ones; whose jaw teeth were as knives to devour David and his men, unless plucked out; or God in his providence should interpose, and hinder the performance of their mischievous and cruel designs; and who could easily destroy them by his blast, and by the breath of his nostrils, ( Job 4:9 Job 4:10 ) .

Psalms 58:6 In-Context

4 They spit venom like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen,
5 ignoring the tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play.
6 Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O LORD !
7 May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands.
8 May they be like snails that dissolve into slime, like a stillborn child who will never see the sun.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.