John Calvin Commentary Psalms 58:2

"Nay, in heart ye work wickedness; Ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth." — Psalms 58:2 (ASV)

Yea, rather, in heart you plot wickedness. In the former verse he complained of the gross shamelessness manifested in their conduct. Now he charges them both with entertaining wickedness in their thoughts and practicing it with their hands. I have accordingly translated the Hebrew article אף, aph, yea, rather—for it is evident that David proceeds, after first repelling the calumnies of his enemies, to the further step of challenging them with the sins they had themselves committed.

The second clause of the verse may be rendered in two different ways: you weigh violence with your hands, or, your hands weigh violence; and as the meaning is the same, it is immaterial which the reader may adopt. Some think that he uses the figurative expression to weigh in allusion to the pretense of equity under which he was persecuted, as if he were considered a disturber of the peace and chargeable with treason and defiance towards the king. In all probability, his enemies glossed over their oppression with plausible pretenses, such as hypocrites are never slow to discover. But the Hebrew word פלס, phalas, admits of a wider signification, to frame or set in order; and nothing more may be meant than that they put into shape the sins which they had first conceived in their thoughts. It is added, upon the earth, to denote the unbridled license of their wickedness, which was done openly, and not in places where concealment might have been practiced.