Psalm 52
New International Version

Psalm 52a

For the director of music. A maskilb 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 practice 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:
a 1 In Hebrew texts 52:1-9 is numbered 52:3-11.
b 1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
c 3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 5.
Psalm 51
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