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Why do you boast of your evil deeds,
    you champion of malice?[a]
All day long you plot harm;
    your tongue is like a sharpened razor,
    you master of deceit.
[b]You love evil rather than good,
    and lies rather than truthful speech. Selah
You wallow in destructive talk,
    you tongue of deceit.
[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

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Footnotes

  1. 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).
  2. 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).
  3. 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.
  4. Psalm 52:7 Tent: the earthly dwelling (see Job 18:14).

You love evil(A) rather than good,
    falsehood(B) rather than speaking the truth.[a]
You love every harmful word,
    you deceitful tongue!(C)

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)
The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh(G) at you, saying,
“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!”

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 52:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 5.