The Meaning of Psalms 58:8 Explained

Psalms 58:8

KJV: As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

YLT: As a snail that melteth he goeth on, As an untimely birth of a woman, They have not seen the sun.

Darby: Let them be as a snail that melteth as it passeth away; like the untimely birth of a woman, let them not see the sun.

ASV: Let them be as a snail which melteth and passeth away, Like the untimely birth of a woman, that hath not seen the sun.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As a snail  [which] melteth,  let [every one of them] pass away:  [like] the untimely birth  of a woman,  [that] they may not see  the sun. 

What does Psalms 58:8 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 58:8 mean?

Like a snail which melts away [Let them be] as it goes [Like] a stillborn child of a woman not that they may see the sun
כְּמ֣וֹ שַׁ֭בְּלוּל תֶּ֣מֶס יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ נֵ֥פֶל אֵ֝֗שֶׁת בַּל־ חָ֥זוּ שָֽׁמֶשׁ

כְּמ֣וֹ  Like 
Parse: Preposition
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
שַׁ֭בְּלוּל  a  snail 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁבְּלוּל  
Sense: snail.
תֶּ֣מֶס  which  melts  away 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: תֶּמֶס  
Sense: dissolving, melting, melting (away).
יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ  [Let  them  be]  as  it  goes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
נֵ֥פֶל  [Like]  a  stillborn  child 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נֵפֶל  
Sense: untimely birth, abortion, miscarriage.
אֵ֝֗שֶׁת  of  a  woman 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
חָ֥זוּ  that  they  may  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָזָה  
Sense: to see, perceive, look, behold, prophesy, provide.
שָֽׁמֶשׁ  the  sun 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.

What are the major concepts related to Psalms 58:8?

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