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Futility of Boastful Wickedness.

To the Chief Musician. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem. A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

52 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.

Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

You love evil more than good,
And falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.

You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.


But God will break you down forever;
He will take you away and tear you away from your tent,
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.

The righteous will see it and fear,
And will [scoffingly] laugh, saying,

“Look, [this is] the man who would not make God his strength [his stronghold and fortress],
But trusted in the abundance of his riches,
Taking refuge in his wealth.”


But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust [confidently] in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.

I will thank You forever, because You have done it, [You have rescued me and kept me safe].
I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.

Folly and Wickedness of Men.

To the Chief Musician; in a mournful strain. A skillful song, or didactic or reflective poem of David.

53 The [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt and evil, and have committed repulsive injustice;
There is no one who does good.

God has looked down from heaven upon the children of men
To see if there is anyone who understands,
Who seeks after God [who requires Him, who longs for Him as essential to life].

Every one of them has turned aside and fallen away;
Together they have become filthy and corrupt;
There is no one who does good, no, not even one.(A)


Have workers of wickedness no knowledge or no understanding?
They eat up My people as though they ate bread
And have not called upon God.

There they were, in great terror and dread, where there had been no terror or dread;
For God scattered the bones of him who besieged you;
You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores [the fortunes of] His people,
Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Prayer for Defense against Enemies.

To the Chief Musician; with stringed instruments. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem, of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “David is hiding among us.”

54 Save me, O God, by Your name;
And vindicate me by Your [wondrous] power.

Hear my prayer, O God;
Listen to the words of my mouth.

For strangers have risen against me
And violent men have sought my life;
They have not set God before them. Selah.


Behold, God is my helper and ally;
The Lord is the sustainer of my soul [my upholder].

He will pay back the evil to my enemies;
In Your faithfulness destroy them.


With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to You;
I will give thanks and praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.

For He has rescued me from every trouble,
And my eye has looked with satisfaction (triumph) on my enemies.

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