Psalm 52

Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: A maskil of David written when Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David is in Ahimelech’s house.”

52 Great warrior, why are you bragging about the evil you did?
    You are a disgrace to God.
²You are nothing but a hired killer,^[a]
    making plans to hurt people and making up lies!
³You love evil more than goodness.
    You love lies more than truth. Selah

⁴You and your lying tongue love to hurt people.
⁵So God will ruin you forever!
He will grab you and pull you from your home,^[b] like someone pulling up a plant by the roots!^[c] Selah

⁶Good people will see this
    and learn to fear and respect God.
They will laugh at you and say,
⁷    “Look what happened to the warrior who did not depend on God.
    That fool thought his wealth and lies would protect him.”

⁸But I am like a green olive tree growing in God’s Temple.
I will trust God’s faithful love forever and ever.
⁹God, I praise you forever for what you have done.
I will speak your name^[d] before your followers because it is so good!

Footnotes

Psalm 52:2 hired killer Literally, “sharpened razor.”
Psalm 52:5 home This means the body. This is a poetic way of saying, “God will end your life here on earth.”
Psalm 52:5 like someone … roots Literally, “He will root you up from the land of the living.” This also means “He will kill you and your descendants.”
Psalm 52:9 speak your name Or “I will trust your name.”

Psalm 52

New International Version

Psalm 52^[a]

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

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

⁸But I am like an olive tree^(P)
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust^(Q) in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
⁹For what you have done I will always praise you^(R)
    in the presence of your faithful people.^(S)
And I will hope in your name,^(T)
    for your name is good.^(U)

Footnotes

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

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 52

Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: A maskil of David written when Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David is in Ahimelech’s house.”

Footnotes

Psalm 52

New International Version

Psalm 52^[a]

For the director of music. A maskil^[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 52 Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: A maskil of David written when Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David is in Ahimelech’s house.”

Footnotes

Psalm 52 New International Version

Psalm 52[a]

For the director of music. A maskil[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 52

Easy-to-Read Version

Psalm 52

New International Version

Psalm 52^[a]

For the director of music. A maskil^[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”