Psalm 52

Psalm 52[a]

For the director of music. A maskil[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite 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 all day long,
    you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
2You who practise deceit,
    your tongue plots destruction;
    it is like a sharpened razor.
3You love evil rather than good,
    falsehood rather than speaking the truth.[c]
4You love every harmful word,
    you deceitful tongue!

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

8But I am like an olive tree
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
9For what you have done I will always praise you
    in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
    for your name is good.

Footnotes

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