Psalms 58:6 - Exposition

Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth. Serpent charmers sometimes, when they have caught their snake, proceed to beat out the poison fangs with a stone or stick. The psalmist, in the first clause, seems to allude to this practice; in the second, he changes the metaphor, reverting to his favourite image of the young lion ( kephir ) . Break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord. The "cheek teeth" ( Joel 1:6 ), or principal fangs on either side, are intended.