Psalms 58:5

“The Lord at thy right hand, etc.] These words are either directed to Christ, at whose right hand the Lord was to help and assist him, (<191608>Psalm 16:8) or to the church, consisting of the Lord’s willing people, at whose right hand he is to save them; is ready to help them, and is a present help to them in time of need, (<19A931>Psalm 109:31) or rather to Jehovah the Father, at whose right hand the “Adonai”, or Lord, even David’s Lord, and every believer’s Lord, is, as in (<19B001>Psalm 110:1), and who is spoken of in all the following clauses; and to whom the things mentioned are ascribed, and so what immediately follows: shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath; not only strike…”

“Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers - The word rendered “charmers” - לחשׁ lachash - means properly “whisperers, mutterers,” and it refers here to those who made use of spells or incantations - sorcerers or magicians. See the notes at Isaiah 8:19. These incantations were accompanied usually with a low, muttering sound, or with a gentle whisper, as if for the purpose of calming and controlling the object of the incantation. Such charmers of serpents (or pretended charmers) abounded among the ancients, and still abound in India. The art is carried in India to great perfection; and there are multitudes of persons who obtain a livelihood by this pretended or real power over venomous…”

“Not hearken - As they commonly say of the adders, such really are these men: deaf to all my counsels, to their own consciences, and to God's law. Of the charming or enchanting of serpents, mention is made both in other places of scripture, and in all sorts of authors, ancient and modern, Hebrew and Arabick, and Greek and Latin. And particularly the Arabick writers (to whom these creatures were best known) name some sorts of serpents, among which the adder is one, which they call deaf, not because they are dull of hearing, but, as one of them expressly faith, because they will not be charmed. Psalms 58:6”

“Which: That serpents might be charmed or rendered harmless was well known to the ancients. Virgil, and many others state the fact - Frigidus in pratis cantando, rumpitur anguis. "In the meadows the cold snake is burst by incantation." charming never so wisely: or, be the charmer never so cunning, Deu 18:11; Isa 19:3 Psalms 58:6”