The Book of Psalms

Psalm 52

Psalm LII · Vol. II, pp. 1020–1021

1 David, reproving the spiteful malice of Doeg, prophesieth his destruction. 6 The righteous shall rejoice at it. 8 David, in confidence of God's mercy, giveth him thanks.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

To the chief musician, Maschil, A psalm of David, ^awhen Doeg the Edomite ^bcame and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.

1 Why boastest^c thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? ^dthe goodness of God endureth continually.

B.C. cir. 1058.

a 1 Sa.21.7; 22.9.

b Eze.22.9.

c Ps.10.2,3; 26.10; 120.2; 140.8,9; ver.7.

d Ps.136.1,2. Ex.34.6,7. Is.63.7. Ro.2.4,5. Mat.5.45.

2 Thy^e tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

e Ps.50.19; 57.4; 59.7; 64.4; 140.3. Je.9.3,4; 18.18. Pr.30.14.

3 Thou ^glovest evil more than good, and lying rather than to speak righteousness. ¹Selah.

g Je.4.22; 9.3-5. Ps.36.1-4. Ro.1.28-32.

1 See note on Ps. 3. 2.—C.

4 Thou lovest ^hall-devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.²

h 1 Sa.22.19,20. Je.11.19. Ja.3.6.

2 Or, and the deceitful tongue.

5 Godⁱ shall likewise destroy thee³ for ever: he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling-place, and ^jroot thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

i Pr.19.5,9. Ja.2.13. Job xviii.xx. Ps.9.15-17; 37.20,36; 120.3,4; 140.9-11.

3 Heb. beat thee down.

j Pr.2.22.

6 The^k righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

k Ps.58.10; 64.9; 71.24; 97.8; 119.120. Mal.1.5. Re.15.4; 16.5-7; 18.20; 19.1,2.

7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but ^ltrusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his ⁴wickedness.⁵

A.M. cir. 2946. B.C. cir. 1058.

l 1 Ti.6.17. Je.2.13; 17.5,6. Ps.49.6; 62.10.

4 Or, substance.

5 By forming associations with wicked men like himself. See Mat.12.45.—C.

Vol. II, p. 1021

8 But I am⁶ like a green olive-tree in the house of God:⁷ I ⁿtrust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

6 Shall be, Ps.1.3; 92.12-14. Je.11.16. Ho.14.6.

7 The olive produces a fruit supplying oil for food, light, healing of wounds, and anointing to high office. The emblem of Christ thus described in possession of an unchanging office, an unfading glory.—C.

n Ps.23.6; 103.17; 73.24,26.

9 I ^owill praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it:⁸ and ^pI will wait on thy name; for it^q is good before thy saints.

o Ps.xviii. ciii. cxvi. cviii. cxlv.

8 Thou hast saved me from the malice of my enemy, and given me peace and joy through faith in thy power and mercy.—P.

p La.3.25,26. Ge.49.18. Ps.130.5,6; 62.1,5; 40.1.

q Ps.73.28; 54.6. Ex.34.6,7. Ca.1.3. Pr.18.10.

Notes

Ver. 1. The occasion on which this psalm was written is stated in the title; and the affecting narrative may be seen in 1 Sa. xxi. The psalm is divided into three parts. In the first (ver. 1-4), the character of the writer's enemy and calumniator is briefly but graphically depicted. In the second (ver. 5-7), the terrible punishment in store for him is described. In the third, the psalmist shows his own security and trust in God. P.—Mighty man. An appeal to man, who, when exalted to power, is so often perverted by pride, that 'the insolence of office' has become a proverb. O ye mighty, humble yourselves before God, and remember ye are but dust! C.

Ver. 5. God successively roots out the wicked; and the destruction of the 'great city Babylon,' Re. 18. 21, will complete the work of extirpation. C.

Ver. 9. Thou hast done it—appointed me to this unchanging office and glory of Prophet, Priest, and King—a Saviour, He. 6. 20; 7. 16; 24. 28. C.

Reflections.—Hardened indeed is the sinner who abuses the goodness of God to glory in his wickedness. Malice, lying, and craft are the abhorrence of God and the image of the devil; and quickly shall they render men miserable in life and lost in hell. Quickly shall those who trust in wealth or wickedness remove into everlasting woe. And the striking judgments of God on the wicked ought to be carefully observed and improved as warnings, while we thank him for sending us his Son so that he is the means of our deliverance. God marvellously founds the prosperity and promised honours of his people on their active faith. And what he has promised we must patiently wait for. None that trust in his mercy shall be disappointed, but ever flourish in grace and triumph in praise.