Few things make people angrier than injustice. For example, when governments award lucrative contracts on the basis of bribes or when law courts condemn the innocent and give soft sentences to the guilty. On a personal level, we may be aggrieved when someone less qualified is promoted ahead of us.

Romans 13:4 tells us that God has established the governing authorities ″as agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer″. God loves justice (see Isaiah 61:8) and so He has appointed bodies like the government, the law courts, and the police to promote justice in society. Sadly, these authorities often fail in this work. Indeed, the very institutions established to promote justice could themselves be corrupt. Experiencing or observing injustice usually stirs up our emotions.

In Psalm 58, David is emotionally stirred by the injustice he sees, particularly from people in authority. He could be thinking about the many times he has been the victim.

First, the psalm describes the character of these wicked rulers (Psalm 58:1-5). David observes how their corrupt hearts lead to their unjust deeds and rulings (v. 2). Jesus would echo these words many years later, when he explained that our evil deeds like murder, false testimony, and slander stem from a defiled heart (Matthew 15:16-20). Jesus also said that, ″For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of″ (12:34).

David saw that these wicked people are born sinners, ″from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies″ (Psalm 58:3). David likens their lies to the venom of a snake (v. 4). If a poisonous snake ″has stopped its ears″ and will not listen to its charmer, the charmer has no means to stop it from spreading its poison. Through this colourful metaphor, David tells us that the injustice of the wicked is deliberate and insistent, an inevitable expression of their true character.

The second half of the psalm describes the end of the wicked (vv. 6-11). The colourful images come thick and fast as David asks for God to bring His justice to bear on those who practise injustice (vv. 6-8). Ultimately, the only real solution to injustice is for God to sweep away the wicked (v. 9).

All over the world, God's people are being persecuted. Many suffer terribly. Often, it's the government, which has been ordained by God to protect His people, that oppress them. But this psalm ends with David rejoicing that a day of justice will come. In the book of Revelation, the saints sing:

"Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God . . .

He has avenged on her the blood of his servants" (Revelation 19:1-2).

One day we will sing in that choir.