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Psalm 52:3-7
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 52:3-7
New Catholic Bible
3 Why do you boast of your evil deeds,
you champion of malice?[a]
All day long 4 you plot harm;
your tongue is like a sharpened razor,
you master of deceit.
5 [b]You love evil rather than good,
and lies rather than truthful speech. Selah
6 You wallow in destructive talk,
you tongue of deceit.
7 [c]This is the reason why God will crush you
and destroy you once and for all.
He will snatch you from your tent[d]
and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
Footnotes
- Psalm 52:3 You champion of malice: the translation follows the Greek. The Hebrew has: “the kindness of God lasts all day long.” The title is one of scorn; he is a champion only in his own mind, and God can easily put him in his place (see Isa 22:17).
- Psalm 52:5 The values of the wicked are distorted. He loves to think, speak, and do evil whenever he can profit from it (see v. 5; Mic 3:2). His entire being reflects the evil that is associated with the tongue (see Ps 120:2; Jas 3:1-12).
- Psalm 52:7 The wicked will be brought down by God while the righteous will subsist and mock them (see Ps 28:5; Job 18:14; Prov 2:22; Isa 22:17). The end of the wicked will be that of the foolish rich of Ps 49.
- Psalm 52:7 Tent: the earthly dwelling (see Job 18:14).
Psalm 52:3-7
New International Version
Psalm 52:3-7
New International Version
3 You love evil(A) rather than good,
falsehood(B) rather than speaking the truth.[a]
4 You love every harmful word,
you deceitful tongue!(C)
5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He will snatch you up and pluck(D) you from your tent;
he will uproot(E) you from the land of the living.(F)
6 The righteous will see and fear;
they will laugh(G) at you, saying,
7 “Here now is the man
who did not make God his stronghold(H)
but trusted in his great wealth(I)
and grew strong by destroying others!”
Footnotes
- Psalm 52:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 5.
Psalm 52:3-7
New King James Version
Psalm 52:3-7
New King James Version
3 You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah
4 You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.
5 God shall likewise destroy you forever;
He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place,
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous also shall see and fear,
And shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “Here is the man who did not make God his strength,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches,
And strengthened himself in his [a]wickedness.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 52:7 Lit. desire, in evil sense
Psalm 52:3-7
English Standard Version
Psalm 52:3-7
English Standard Version
3 You love evil more than good,
and (A)lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever;
he will snatch and (B)tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from (C)the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous shall (D)see and fear,
and shall (E)laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make
God his refuge,
but (F)trusted in the abundance of his riches
and sought refuge in his own destruction!”[a]
Footnotes
- Psalm 52:7 Or in his work of destruction
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.