Psalm 52-54

American Standard Version

Futility of boastful wickedness.

For the Chief Musician. Maschil of David; when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.

52 Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?
The lovingkindness of God endureth continually.
²Thy tongue deviseth very wickedness,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
³Thou lovest evil more than good,
And lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah
⁴Thou lovest all devouring words,
^[a]O thou deceitful tongue.
⁵God will likewise ^[b]destroy thee for ever;
He will take thee up, and pluck thee out of thy tent,
And root thee out of the land of the living. Selah
⁶The righteous also shall see it, and fear,
And shall laugh at him, saying,
⁷Lo, this is the man that made not God his ^[c]strength,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches,
And strengthened himself in his wickedness.
⁸But as for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God:
I trust in the lovingkindness of God for ever and ever.
⁹I will give thee thanks for ever, because thou hast done it;
And I will hope in thy name, for it is good, in the presence of thy saints.

The folly and wickedness of men.

For the Chief Musician; set to Mahalath. Maschil of David.

53 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none that doeth good.
²God looked down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there were any that did ^[d]understand,
That did seek after God.
³Every one of them is gone back; they are together become filthy;
There is none that doeth good, no, not one.
⁴Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And call not upon God?
⁵There were they in great fear, where no fear was;
For God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee:
Thou hast put them to shame, because God hath rejected them.
⁶Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!
When God ^[e]bringeth back the captivity of his people,
Then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Prayer for defence against enemies.

For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David; when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?

54 Save me, O God, by thy name,
And judge me in thy might.
²Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
³For strangers are risen up against me,
And violent men have sought after my soul:
They have not set God before them. Selah
⁴Behold, God is my helper:
The Lord is ^[f]of them that uphold my soul.
⁵^[g]He will requite the evil unto ^[h]mine enemies:
Destroy thou them in thy truth.
⁶With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice unto thee:
I will give thanks unto thy name, O Jehovah, for it is good.
⁷For he hath delivered me out of all trouble;
And mine eye hath seen my desire upon mine enemies.

Footnotes

Psalm 52:4 Or, And the deceitful tongue
Psalm 52:5 Or, break thee down
Psalm 52:7 Or, stronghold
Psalm 53:2 Or, deal wisely
Psalm 53:6 Or, returneth to
Psalm 54:4 Or, with
Psalm 54:5 Another reading is, The evil shall return.
Psalm 54:5 Or, them that lie in wait for me

Psalm 52-54

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)

Psalm 53^[d]^(V)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[e] A maskil^[f] of David.

¹The fool^(W) says in his heart,
“There is no God.”^(X)
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.

²God looks down from heaven^(Y)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(Z)
    any who seek God.^(AA)
³Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.^(AB)

⁴Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
⁵But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.^(AC)
God scattered the bones^(AD) of those who attacked you;^(AE)
    you put them to shame,^(AF) for God despised them.^(AG)

⁶Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 54^[g]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[h] of David. When the Ziphites^(AH) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

¹Save me^(AI), O God, by your name;^(AJ)
vindicate me by your might.^(AK)
²Hear my prayer, O God;^(AL)
listen to the words of my mouth.

³Arrogant foes are attacking me;^(AM)
ruthless people^(AN) are trying to kill me^(AO)—
people without regard for God.^[i]^(AP)

⁴Surely God is my help;^(AQ)
the Lord is the one who sustains me.^(AR)

⁵Let evil recoil^(AS) on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness^(AT) destroy them.

⁶I will sacrifice a freewill offering^(AU) to you;
I will praise^(AV) your name, Lord, for it is good.^(AW)
⁷You have delivered me^(AX) from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.^(AY)

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.
Psalm 53:1 In Hebrew texts 53:1-6 is numbered 53:2-7.
Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 54:1 In Hebrew texts 54:1-7 is numbered 54:3-9.
Psalm 54:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 54:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

American Standard Version (ASV)

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New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 52-54

American Standard Version

Futility of boastful wickedness.

For the Chief Musician. Maschil of David; when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.

The folly and wickedness of men.

For the Chief Musician; set to Mahalath. Maschil of David.

Prayer for defence against enemies.

For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David; when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?

Footnotes

Psalm 52-54

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.”

Psalm 53^[d]^(V)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[e] A maskil^[f] of David.

Psalm 54^[g]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[h] of David. When the Ziphites^(AH) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 52-54 American Standard Version

Futility of boastful wickedness.

For the Chief Musician. Maschil of David; when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.

The folly and wickedness of men.

For the Chief Musician; set to Mahalath. Maschil of David.

Prayer for defence against enemies.

For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David; when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?

Footnotes

Psalm 52-54 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.”

Psalm 53[d](V)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.[e] A maskil[f] of David.

Psalm 54[g]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[h] of David. When the Ziphites(AH) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 52-54

American Standard Version

Psalm 52-54

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.”

Psalm 53^[d]^(V)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[e] A maskil^[f] of David.

Psalm 54^[g]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[h] of David. When the Ziphites^(AH) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”