Bible Dictionary
BELCH
To belch means to gush forth. In Psalm 59 it pictures enemies pouring out bitter words and evil thoughts, compared with the snarling and howling of dogs in the night.
Definition
To belch means to gush forth like a fountain. In the Psalmist’s imagery, it describes evil thoughts, bitterness, and wrath pouring out through the speech of enemies.
Biblical Usage
Psalm 59 compares the enemies’ words with the snarling, barking, and howling of dogs around a city at night. Their bitter imprecations are pictured as a fountain of evil that continues until daybreak.
Historical Background
The image draws on the sound of dogs in an eastern city, where barking and howling could make the night noisy and disturbing.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>belsh: The primary idea of this word is "to gush forth" as a fountain. As used in Ps 59:7 the thought is that these enemies had so cherished these evil thoughts and bitter wrath that now the heart is a very fountain of evil, and has taught the tongue how to give utterance thereto. But the previous verse shows that the Psalmist also had in mind the howling and barking of the dogs about the city. The imprecations of his enemies are like the snarling, howling, barking of dogs which in an eastern city makes the night hideous with the noise, and is continued until the daybreak.</p><p>Jacob W. Kapp</p>