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Psalm 52
New International Version
Psalm 52
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.”
1 Why 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?
2 You who practice deceit,(D)
your tongue plots destruction;(E)
it is like a sharpened razor.(F)
3 You love evil(G) rather than good,
falsehood(H) rather than speaking the truth.[c]
4 You love every harmful word,
you deceitful tongue!(I)
5 Surely 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)
6 The 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!”
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 52
International Standard Version
Psalm 52
International Standard Version
To the Director: A Davidic instruction[a] about Doeg, the Edomite, when he went to Saul and told him, “David went to the house of Abimelech.”
A Rebuke to the Deceitful
52 Why do you make evil
the foundation of your boasting, mighty one?[b]
God’s gracious love never ceases.[c]
2 Your tongue, like a sharp razor, devises wicked things
and crafts treachery.
3 You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking uprightly.
4 You love all words that destroy, you deceitful tongue!
5 But God will tear you down forever;
he will take you away,
even snatching you out of your tent!
He will uproot you from the land of the living.
6 The righteous will fear when they see this,
but then they will laugh at him, saying,
7 “Look, here is a young man who refused to make God his strength;
instead, he trusted in his great wealth
and made his wickedness his strength.
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the gracious love of God forever and ever.
9 Therefore I will praise you forever
because of what you did;
I will proclaim that your name is good
in the midst of your faithful ones.
Footnotes
- Psalm 52:1 Lit. maskil
- Psalm 52:1 Or O warrior
- Psalm 52:1 Lit. love is all the day
1 Samuel 22:6-23
New International Version
1 Samuel 22:6-23
New International Version
Saul Kills the Priests of Nob
6 Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul was seated,(A) spear in hand, under the tamarisk(B) tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing at his side. 7 He said to them, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders(C) of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8 Is that why you have all conspired(D) against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant(E) with the son of Jesse.(F) None of you is concerned(G) about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”
9 But Doeg(H) the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub(I) at Nob.(J) 10 Ahimelek inquired(K) of the Lord for him; he also gave him provisions(L) and the sword(M) of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelek son of Ahitub and all the men of his family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king. 12 Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.”
“Yes, my lord,” he answered.
13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired(N) against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?”
14 Ahimelek answered the king, “Who(O) of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? 15 Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”
16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and your whole family.(P)”
17 Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.”
But the king’s officials were unwilling(Q) to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.
18 The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.”(R) So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.(S) 19 He also put to the sword(T) Nob,(U) the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.
20 But one son of Ahimelek son of Ahitub,(V) named Abiathar,(W) escaped and fled to join David.(X) 21 He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg(Y) the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family. 23 Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you(Z) is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”
1 Samuel 22:6-23
International Standard Version
1 Samuel 22:6-23
International Standard Version
Doeg the Edomite Reports to Saul
6 When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been found,[a] he[b] was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the hill, with his spear in his hand. All his officials[c] were standing around him. 7 Saul told his officials who were standing around him, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will Jesse’s son also give fields and vineyards to all of you? Will he make all of you officers over thousands and officers over hundreds? 8 But all of you have conspired against me, and no one tells me[d] about my son’s covenant[e] with Jesse’s son. None of you feels sorry for me and tells me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in wait, as he’s doing[f] this day.”
9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s servants answered: “I saw Jesse’s son coming to Nob to Ahitub’s son Ahimelech. 10 Ahimelech[g] inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
Saul Orders the Execution of the Priests
11 The king sent for Ahitub’s son Ahimelech the priest and for all his father’s family who were priests at Nob. All of them came to the king. 12 Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub!”
And he said, “Here I am, your majesty.”
13 Then Saul[h] asked him, “Why have you conspired against me—you and Jesse’s son—by giving him food and a sword, and by inquiring of God for him, so he can rise up against me to lie in wait, as he’s doing[i] today?”
14 Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your officials[j] is as faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard, and he’s honored in your household. 15 Is today the first time I inquired of God for him? Absolutely not! The king shouldn’t accuse his servant, or any of my father’s family of anything, because your servant didn’t know anything at all[k] about this.”
16 The king said, “Ahimelech, you will surely die, you and all your father’s family!” 17 The king told the guards, who were standing beside him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord because they supported David,[l] and because they knew he was fleeing, but didn’t inform me.”[m] But the officials of the king did not want to lift their hands[n] to attack the priests of the Lord.
18 Then the king told Doeg, “You turn and attack the priests.” Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who carry the linen ephod.[o] 19 He attacked the priestly town of Nob with the sword. Men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys and sheep were put to the sword.
Abiathar Takes the Ephod to David
20 One man, Ahimelech’s son Abiathar, a grandson of Ahitub, escaped and fled to David. 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 David told Abiathar, “I knew on that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly tell Saul! I’m responsible for the deaths of your father’s whole family. 23 Stay with me, and don’t be afraid because the one who seeks my life, seeks your life. Indeed, you will be safe with me.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 22:6 Lit. were known
- 1 Samuel 22:6 Lit. Saul
- 1 Samuel 22:6 Or servants
- 1 Samuel 22:8 Lit. reveals in my ear
- 1 Samuel 22:8 Or agreement
- 1 Samuel 22:8 The Heb. lacks he is doing
- 1 Samuel 22:10 Lit. He
- 1 Samuel 22:13 Lit. he
- 1 Samuel 22:13 The Heb. lacks he is doing
- 1 Samuel 22:14 Or servants
- 1 Samuel 22:15 Lit. anything, great or small
- 1 Samuel 22:17 Lit. their hand was with David
- 1 Samuel 22:17 Lit. reveal in my ear
- 1 Samuel 22:17 Lit. to send their hand
- 1 Samuel 22:18 I.e. the priests
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International Standard Version (ISV) 
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