תהלים, פרק נ״ח, פסוק ג׳

Public and legal corruption does not simply appear out of nowhere; it takes root first in secret thoughts before manifesting in the physical world. The wrongs, deceit, and injustice carried out by corrupt leaders are not the result of mere mistakes. Rather, they are born from conscious, malicious intent [מאירי, רש״י]. Although the heart is typically the place of thought rather than physical action, God views these internal processes differently. Because these leaders think about and plan injustice with such high frequency, it is considered as though they have already committed the physical act [רד״ק]. Furthermore, even passive behaviors, such as remaining silent, failing to defend the innocent, or quietly accepting injustice, are viewed by God as active wickedness that empowers the forces of evil [אלשיך, מצודת דוד].

Eventually, this internal injustice spills over into open action. The resulting violence and perversion of the law specifically point to the crimes of corrupt judges who accept bribes [אבן עזרא]. The primary approach among commentators is that these wicked individuals do not merely settle for committing evil acts. Instead, they use clever, forceful arguments to justify their behavior. They present their violence and corruption as if it were carefully weighed on the scales of justice, proudly declaring their actions to be honest, legal, and true. This calculated deception is designed both to blind the public and to shield themselves from any feelings of guilt [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, מאירי, אלשיך]. In contrast to this view of deceptive justification, others understand the imagery of the scales differently. Instead of pretending to be fair, the wicked actively tip the scales for the worse, burdening the earth with violence until its heavy weight becomes completely unbearable [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ].