Futility of Boastful Wickedness.

For the music 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, you mighty man?
The (B)faithfulness of God endures all day long.
Your tongue devises (C)destruction,
Like a (D)sharp razor, (E)you worker of deceit.
You (F)love evil more than good,
(G)Lies more than speaking what is right. Selah
You love all words that devour,
You (H)deceitful tongue.

[c]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
The righteous will (L)see and fear,
And they will (M)laugh at him, saying,
“Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,
But (N)trusted in the abundance of his riches
And (O)was strong in [d]his evil desire.”

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

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

For the music director; according to [e]Mahalath. A [f]Maskil of David.

53 (T)The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;
(U)There is no one who does good.
God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind
To see if there is (V)anyone who [g]understands,
Who (W)seeks after God.
(X)Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.

Have the workers of injustice (Y)no knowledge,
Who eat up My people like they ate bread,
And have not called upon God?
They were in great [h]fear there, (Z)where no [i]fear had been;
For God (AA)scattered the bones of [j]him who encamped against you;
You (AB)put them to shame, because (AC)God had rejected them.
Oh, that (AD)the salvation of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.

Prayer for Defense against Enemies.

For the music director; on stringed instruments. A [k]Maskil of David, [l]when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Is David not keeping himself hidden among us?”

54 Save me, God, by (AE)Your name,
And [m]vindicate me by (AF)Your power.
(AG)Hear my prayer, God;
(AH)Listen to the words of my mouth.
For strangers have (AI)risen against me
And (AJ)violent men have (AK)sought my [n]life;
They have (AL)not set God before them. Selah

Behold, (AM)God is my helper;
The Lord is [o]the (AN)sustainer of my soul.
[p]He will (AO)pay back the evil to my enemies;
[q](AP)Destroy them (AQ)in Your [r]faithfulness.

[s](AR)Willingly I will sacrifice to You;
I will (AS)praise Your name, Lord, for it is good.
For [t]He has (AT)saved me from all [u]trouble,
And my eye has (AU)looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 52 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 52 Title 1 Sam 22:9
  3. Psalm 52:5 Or Also
  4. Psalm 52:7 Or his destruction
  5. Psalm 53 Title I.e., sickness, a sad tone
  6. Psalm 53 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  7. Psalm 53:2 Or acts wisely
  8. Psalm 53:5 Or dread
  9. Psalm 53:5 Or dread
  10. Psalm 53:5 Or possibly those
  11. Psalm 54 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  12. Psalm 54 Title 1 Sam 23:19; 26:1
  13. Psalm 54:1 Lit judge
  14. Psalm 54:3 Or soul
  15. Psalm 54:4 Lit as those who sustain
  16. Psalm 54:5 LXX; MT The evil will return
  17. Psalm 54:5 Or Put to silence
  18. Psalm 54:5 Or truth
  19. Psalm 54:6 Or With a voluntary offering
  20. Psalm 54:7 Or it; i.e., His name
  21. Psalm 54:7 Or distress

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