Psalm 52-54

New King James Version

The End of the Wicked and the Peace of the Godly

To the Chief Musician. A ^[a]Contemplation of David ^(A)when Doeg the Edomite went and ^(B)told Saul, and said to him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”

52 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endures continually.
²Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
³You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah
⁴You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.

⁵God 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
⁶The 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 ^[b]wickedness.”

⁸But I am ^(C)like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
⁹I will praise You forever,
Because You have done it;
And in the presence of Your saints
I will wait on Your name, for it ^[c]is good.

Folly of the Godless, and the Restoration of Israel^(D)

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath.” A ^[d]Contemplation of David.

53 The ^(E)fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
^(F)There is none who does good.

²God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who ^(G)seek God.
³Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.

⁴Have the workers of iniquity ^(H)no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call upon God?
⁵^(I)There they are in great fear
Where no fear was,
For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you;
You have put them to shame,
Because God has despised them.

⁶^(J)Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God brings back ^[e]the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Answered Prayer for Deliverance from Adversaries

To the Chief Musician. With ^[f]stringed instruments. A ^[g]Contemplation of David ^(K)when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding with us?”

54 Save me, O God, by Your name,
And vindicate me by Your strength.
²Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
³For strangers have risen up against me,
And oppressors have sought after my life;
They have not set God before them. Selah

⁴Behold, God is my helper;
The Lord is with those who ^[h]uphold my life.
⁵He will repay my enemies for their evil.
^[i]Cut them off in Your ^[j]truth.

⁶I will freely sacrifice to You;
I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.
⁷For He has delivered me out of all trouble;
^(L)And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.

Footnotes

Psalm 52:1 Heb. Maschil
Psalm 52:7 Lit. desire, in evil sense
Psalm 52:9 Or has a good reputation
Psalm 53:1 Heb. Maschil
Psalm 53:6 Or His captive people
Psalm 54:1 Heb. neginoth
Psalm 54:1 Heb. Maschil
Psalm 54:4 sustain my soul
Psalm 54:5 Destroy them
Psalm 54:5 Or faithfulness

Psalm 52-54

New International Version

Psalm 52^[a]

For the director of music. A maskil^[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

¹Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
    Why do you boast^(B) all day long,^(C)
    you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
²You who practice deceit,^(D)
    your tongue plots destruction;^(E)
    it is like a sharpened razor.^(F)
³You love evil^(G) rather than good,
    falsehood^(H) rather than speaking the truth.^[c]
⁴You love every harmful word,
    you deceitful tongue!^(I)

⁵Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
    He will snatch you up and pluck^(J) you from your tent;
    he will uproot^(K) you from the land of the living.^(L)
⁶The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh^(M) at you, saying,
⁷“Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold^(N)
but trusted in his great wealth^(O)
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

⁸But I am like an olive tree^(P)
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust^(Q) in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
⁹For what you have done I will always praise you^(R)
    in the presence of your faithful people.^(S)
And I will hope in your name,^(T)
    for your name is good.^(U)

Psalm 53^[d]^(V)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[e] A maskil^[f] of David.

¹The fool^(W) says in his heart,
“There is no God.”^(X)
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.

²God looks down from heaven^(Y)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(Z)
    any who seek God.^(AA)
³Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.^(AB)

⁴Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
⁵But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.^(AC)
God scattered the bones^(AD) of those who attacked you;^(AE)
    you put them to shame,^(AF) for God despised them.^(AG)

⁶Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 54^[g]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[h] of David. When the Ziphites^(AH) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

¹Save me^(AI), O God, by your name;^(AJ)
vindicate me by your might.^(AK)
²Hear my prayer, O God;^(AL)
listen to the words of my mouth.

³Arrogant foes are attacking me;^(AM)
ruthless people^(AN) are trying to kill me^(AO)—
people without regard for God.^[i]^(AP)

⁴Surely God is my help;^(AQ)
the Lord is the one who sustains me.^(AR)

⁵Let evil recoil^(AS) on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness^(AT) destroy them.

⁶I will sacrifice a freewill offering^(AU) to you;
I will praise^(AV) your name, Lord, for it is good.^(AW)
⁷You have delivered me^(AX) from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.^(AY)

Footnotes

Psalm 52:1 In Hebrew texts 52:1-9 is numbered 52:3-11.
Psalm 52:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 52:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 5.
Psalm 53:1 In Hebrew texts 53:1-6 is numbered 53:2-7.
Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 54:1 In Hebrew texts 54:1-7 is numbered 54:3-9.
Psalm 54:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 54:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

New King James Version (NKJV)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 52-54

New King James Version

The End of the Wicked and the Peace of the Godly

To the Chief Musician. A ^[a]Contemplation of David ^(A)when Doeg the Edomite went and ^(B)told Saul, and said to him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”

Folly of the Godless, and the Restoration of Israel^(D)

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath.” A ^[d]Contemplation of David.

Answered Prayer for Deliverance from Adversaries

To the Chief Musician. With ^[f]stringed instruments. A ^[g]Contemplation of David ^(K)when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding with us?”

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 52-54

New International Version

Psalm 52^[a]

For the director of music. A maskil^[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

Psalm 53^[d]^(V)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[e] A maskil^[f] of David.

Psalm 54^[g]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[h] of David. When the Ziphites^(AH) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 52-54 New King James Version

The End of the Wicked and the Peace of the Godly

To the Chief Musician. A [a]Contemplation of David (A)when Doeg the Edomite went and (B)told Saul, and said to him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”

Folly of the Godless, and the Restoration of Israel(D)

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath.” A [d]Contemplation of David.

Answered Prayer for Deliverance from Adversaries

To the Chief Musician. With [f]stringed instruments. A [g]Contemplation of David (K)when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding with us?”

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 52-54 New International Version

Psalm 52[a]

For the director of music. A maskil[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

Psalm 53[d](V)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.[e] A maskil[f] of David.

Psalm 54[g]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[h] of David. When the Ziphites(AH) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 52-54

New King James Version

To the Chief Musician. A ^[a]Contemplation of David ^(A)when Doeg the Edomite went and ^(B)told Saul, and said to him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”

Folly of the Godless, and the Restoration of Israel^(D)

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath.” A ^[d]Contemplation of David.

To the Chief Musician. With ^[f]stringed instruments. A ^[g]Contemplation of David ^(K)when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding with us?”

Psalm 52-54

New International Version

Psalm 52^[a]

For the director of music. A maskil^[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

Psalm 53^[d]^(V)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[e] A maskil^[f] of David.

Psalm 54^[g]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[h] of David. When the Ziphites^(AH) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”