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.
Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah
You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.

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
The righteous also shall see and fear,
And shall laugh at him, saying,
“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.”

But I am (C)like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
I 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.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 52:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 52:7 Lit. desire, in evil sense
  3. Psalm 52:9 Or has a good reputation

I Trust in the Lovingkindness of God

For the choir director. A [a]Maskil of David. [b]When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

52 Why do you (A)boast in evil, O mighty man?
The (B)lovingkindness of God endures all day long.
Your tongue devises (C)destruction,
Like a (D)sharp razor, (E)O worker of deceit.
You (F)love evil more than good,
(G)Falsehood more than speaking what is right. [c]Selah.
You love all words that devour,
O (H)deceitful tongue.

[d]But God will break you down forever;
He will snatch you up and (I)tear you away from your tent,
And (J)uproot you from the (K)land of the living, Selah.
So that the righteous will (L)see and fear,
And will (M)laugh at him, saying,
“Behold, the man who would not set God as his strength,
But (N)trusted in the abundance of his riches
And (O)was strong in his destruction.”

But as for me, I am like a (P)green olive tree in the house of God;
I (Q)trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.
I will (R)give You thanks forever, because You have done it,
And I will hope on Your name, (S)for it is good, in the presence of Your holy ones.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 52 Title Possibly Contemplative, Didactic, Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 52 Title 1 Sam 22:9
  3. Psalm 52:3 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
  4. Psalm 52:5 Or Also