Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime, like the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The striking images of a dissolving snail and an untimely birth aren't just about disappearing; they emphasize a complete lack of substance and purpose from the start. These wicked individuals, despite their perceived power, are ultimately destined to vanish without ever truly experiencing life or leaving a meaningful impact, proving their existence as utterly futile.
Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime, like the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist continues his prayer for God's judgment on the wicked, describing them as ravenous young lions whose destructive power must be broken. He prays that their schemes would be instantly thwarted and that they would vanish completely, like a snail that dissolves into slime or a stillborn child that never sees the light of day. This prayer builds towards a confident expectation that God will ultimately judge and cleanse the earth, leaving no trace of the wicked.
What could a mighty oppressor possibly have in common with a slimy snail?
The Psalmist uses vivid imagery to describe the ultimate fate of the wicked. The snail, which seems to crawl and leave a trail, actually dissolves as it moves, its very motion consuming it.
This isn't about God zapping them instantly, but about their own actions and nature leading to their inevitable demise. Their power and threats, like the snail's slime, leave them diminished and ultimately gone. It's a picture of self-destruction, a power that consumes itself from within.
Imagine a life that never even begins to experience the world. What does this profound emptiness represent?
The second image, 'like the stillborn child who never sees the sun,' emphasizes complete and utter non-existence. This isn't just a fading away; it's a life that never had the chance to flourish, never experienced the light or warmth of existence.
For the wicked, this means their plans, their ambitions, and their very lives will ultimately amount to nothing. They will never see the 'sun' of God's favor, nor the true light of life that comes from Him. It's a total, absolute erasure, a life that never truly began in the eyes of eternity.
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This passage shares the stark imagery of an untimely birth that never experiences the light of day, emphasizing a life cut short before it truly begins, mirroring the utter non-existence the Psalmist desires for his enemies.
Psalm 68:2This verse also uses the imagery of melting, comparing the dissolution of God's enemies to wax melting before fire, which resonates with the visceral image of the snail dissolving.
Isaiah 40:7This passage speaks of the swift perishing of the wicked, comparing them to grass and flowers that quickly wither, echoing the Psalmist's desire for his enemies' rapid and complete dissolution.
John 1:5This verse highlights that darkness cannot overcome the light, contrasting with the fate of the stillborn child who never sees the sun, underscoring the spiritual darkness that befalls those who are ultimately rejected.
calvinPsalms 58:6-9: "Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD."
- Break their teeth, O God! in their mouth: break the jaws of the lions. 7. Let them flow away like waters, let them depart: let them bend their bow, and let their arrows be as broken. [352] 8. Let him vanish like a snail, which melts away; like the untimely birth of a woman, which does not see the sun. 9. Before your pots [353] can feel the fire of the thorns, a whirlwind shall car…
bensonPsalms 58:8: "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."
Psalm 58:8 . As a snail melteth — Which thrusts forth itself, and seems to threaten with its horns, but is quickly dissolved. For it wastes by its own motions, in every stretch it makes, leaving some of its moisture behind, which, by degrees, must needs consume it, though it makes a path to shine after it. Like the untimely birth of a woman — Which dies as…
The striking images of a dissolving snail and an untimely birth aren't just about disappearing; they emphasize a complete lack of substance and purpose from the start. These wicked individuals, despite their perceived power, are ultimately destined to vanish without ever truly experiencing life or leaving a meaningful impact, proving their existence as utterly futile.
The psalmist continues his prayer for God's judgment on the wicked, describing them as ravenous young lions whose destructive power must be broken. He prays that their schemes would be instantly thwarted and that they would vanish completely, like a snail that dissolves into slime or a stillborn child that never sees the light of day. This prayer builds towards a confident expectation that God will ultimately judge and cleanse the earth, leaving no trace of the wicked.
The psalmist continues his prayer for God's judgment on the wicked, describing them as ravenous young lions whose destructive power must be broken. He prays that their schemes would be instantly thwarted and that they would vanish completely, like a snail that dissolves into slime or a stillborn child that never sees the light of day. This prayer builds towards a confident expectation that God will ultimately judge and cleanse the earth, leaving no trace of the wicked.
"Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime, like the stillborn child who never sees the sun." — The striking images of a dissolving snail and an untimely birth aren't just about disappearing; they emphasize a complete lack of substance and purpose from the start. These wicked individuals, despi…
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Last reviewed October 2026