491_Surely there is a reward for the righteous

Psalm 58 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?
Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;
your hands deal out violence on earth.

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb;
they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent,
like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers
or of the cunning enchanter.

6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths;
tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
7 Let them vanish like water that runs away;
when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted.
8 Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime,
like the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,
whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!

10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
surely there is a God who judges on earth.”

A missionary in Africa was persistently opposed by a tribal chief who was deeply involved in traditional occult practices. As the missionary continued to preach the gospel of Christ and sought to do good to the people, he was constantly slandered, threatened, and attacked. Often the attacks came from the tribal council that was supposed to administer justice. At one point, this council was swayed by the chief to falsely accuse the missionary of several crimes. He was publicly humiliated and his work nearly came to a halt. But he refused to give up. He humbly persisted in prayer, entrusting himself to the One who judges justly.

Within a few years, the chief fell into disgrace, his rule undone by corruption. Many in the village turned to Christ, including some of those who had once spoken lies against the missionary. One of them, in tears, confessed: “We now know you were speaking the truth all along. Your patience and your faith in God’s justice were your greatest sermon.”

Psalm 58 echoes this message. It is the outraged cry of a righteous man against injustice and violence. It is the faith-filled plea of someone who believes, against all appearances, that surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges the earth.

The psalm begins with a direct challenge to the wicked authorities of that day. They wielded authority, not to uphold justice, but to perpetuate injustice. “Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?” he asks. “Do you judge the children of man uprightly?” The answer is obvious, as verse 2 says: “No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.”

These “gods” are the powerful rulers and judges of his time. They were meant to be stewards of justice under God’s authority. However, they had become gods unto themselves—drunk with power, perverting justice for their own gain. Their actions betray their hearts. Instead of protecting the vulnerable, they scheme evil; instead of protecting life, they deal out death.

David uses strong metaphors to describe the danger of these wicked leaders. They are like venomous snakes that refuse to be charmed by the most skilled charmer. These leaders don’t merely lie; their words are toxic. Their decisions spread pain. Like a serpent poised to strike or a lion with fangs bared, their power is destructive and lethal.

Realizing the futility of attempts to reform these corrupt authorities, David turns to the righteous Judge of all the earth. “O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!” This fierce cry is for universal righteousness to prevail, defeating the powers of evil and cruelty once and for all. Hence the plea to break the teeth of the lions, for a toothless lion is a threat to no one. The righteous long for the day when the dominance of wickedness will melt away, leaving not a trace behind—like water that runs off, a snail that melts away.

David petitions the Judge for vengeance and punishment. But the heart of the matter is his hunger for the world to be put right. God will act, and when He does, there will be rejoicing among the righteous. “The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.” The joy of the righteous is fuelled by the final and full victory of God’s justice over the wickedness of this world.

This may sound jarring to our modern ears, but let us heed the wisdom of the Lord that tells us we cannot love the Lord without hating evil. David is not gloating over his enemy, nor is he bloodthirsty. He is prophetically looking forward to the final day of reckoning, when evil will be finally and utterly defeated and wiped out.

Isaiah also describes this day in chapter 63, where the Messiah comes again, having trodden the winepress of God’s wrath alone. That day will be a day of vengeance for the Lord, and a year of redemption for His people.

For those who despise God’s good laws will not win for ever. The oppressors will not always rule. Evil will not always prosper. The Judge of all the earth will not remain silent forever.

This is the foundation of our hope: “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.” Surely – this is faith, driven by God’s truth and his revelation of his plan for our world. Justice is not a fantasy. God sees and knows the hearts of all men. He will judge. And He will reward the righteous.

This assurance echoes through all Scripture. Proverbs 11:18 says, “The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.” Hosea 10:12 urges us, “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” Galatians 6:8–9 adds encouragement: “The one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

In a corrupt world, where judgment is perverted and values distorted, where corruption is rife, there is great temptation to despair. We may wonder whether it’s worth it to keep doing what is right when the wicked seem to win and lies are celebrated. But God’s living truth tells us: Don’t give up. There is a reward for the righteous. We may not see it now, but it’s certain. The justice of God is not a wish—it is a promise. And the reward is sure as long as we remain faithful.

It’s easy to grow angry, to lash out, or to become cynical as we see the evil around us. But our confidence rests, not in earthly courts, but in the God of righteousness and truth. Every wrong will be righted. Every tear will be wiped away. Every hidden act of righteousness will be rewarded openly by the One who sees in secret.

Let us then live lives that reflect this confidence. Let us be faithful in serving and obeying our righteous King. Let us speak the truth in love amidst the babel of lies. Let us sow righteousness wherever we are. For in due time, we will reap—if we do not give up.

On that day, when we hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” every one of our troubles will sink into insignificance, beneath the weight of glory. Surely there is a reward for the righteous. Let us keep trusting and looking up. The Judge of all the earth will do right.