Psalms 58:7
Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
Original Language Analysis
יִמָּאֲס֣וּ
Let them melt away
H3988
יִמָּאֲס֣וּ
Let them melt away
Strong's:
H3988
Word #:
1 of 9
to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear
מַ֭יִם
as waters
H4325
מַ֭יִם
as waters
Strong's:
H4325
Word #:
3 of 9
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
יִתְהַלְּכוּ
which run continually
H1980
יִתְהַלְּכוּ
which run continually
Strong's:
H1980
Word #:
4 of 9
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
יִדְרֹ֥ךְ
when he bendeth
H1869
יִדְרֹ֥ךְ
when he bendeth
Strong's:
H1869
Word #:
6 of 9
to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending)
Cross References
Psalms 112:10The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.Joshua 7:5And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.Isaiah 13:7Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:Psalms 64:3Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:Exodus 15:15Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
Historical Context
In desert environments, water's disappearance was a vivid image of vanishing hope. Broken arrows represented military defeat, as arrows were primary weapons in ancient warfare. Both images communicated total loss of power.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's power to reduce the mighty to nothing comfort the oppressed?
- What does the complete futility of wickedness under God's judgment reveal about history's trajectory?
Analysis & Commentary
The dual images of melting water and broken arrows emphasize the complete negation of the wicked's power. Water that 'runs continually away' (Hebrew 'halak'—walk/go) depicts dissipation and futility. Arrows 'cut in pieces' represents weapons rendered useless. This demonstrates God's sovereignty—He can reduce the mighty to nothing, anticipated in Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:51-53).