1 (52-1) For the Leader. Maschil of David; (52-2) when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him: 'David is come to the house of Ahimelech.' (52-3) Why boastest thou thyself of evil, O mighty man? The mercy of God endureth continually. 2 (52-4) Thy tongue deviseth destruction; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3 (52-5) Thou lovest evil more than good; falsehood rather than speaking righteousness. Selah 4 (52-6) Thou lovest all devouring words, the deceitful tongue. 5 (52-7) God will likewise break 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 6 (52-8) The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: 7 (52-9) 'Lo, this is the man that made not God his stronghold; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.' 8 (52-10) But as for me, I am like a leafy olive-tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. 9 (52-11) I will give Thee thanks for ever, because Thou hast done it; and I will wait for Thy name, for it is good, in the presence of Thy saints.
Psalm 52 JPS Tanakh (1917)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Numbers like (22-2) in the text give the Hebrew verse numbering where it differs.
Cross references (9)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 103:17; Psalm 107:1; Psalm 94:4; 1 Samuel 21:7; Isaiah 59:4
- 2 Proverbs 18:21; Proverbs 6:16–19; Proverbs 12:18; Psalm 57:4; Jeremiah 9:3–4
- 3 Jeremiah 9:3–5; John 8:44; 2 Timothy 3:4; Romans 1:25; Revelation 22:15
- 4 Psalm 120:3; James 3:6–9; 1 Samuel 22:18–19
- 5 Proverbs 2:22; Psalm 27:13; Revelation 21:8; Proverbs 12:19; Isaiah 38:11
- 6 Job 22:19; Psalm 40:3; Psalm 37:34; Revelation 15:4; Revelation 18:20
- 7 Jeremiah 17:5; Ecclesiastes 8:8; Psalm 73:18–20; Psalm 49:6–20; John 19:5
- 8 Psalm 92:12–14; Hosea 14:6–8; Psalm 1:3; Psalm 13:5; Jeremiah 11:16
- 9 Lamentations 3:25–26; Psalm 130:5–6; Psalm 73:28; Psalm 54:6; Psalm 62:5
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Neither must this multitude's throng be defrauded, nor their infirmity burthened. Silence we ask, and quiet, in order that our voice, after yesterday's labour, be able with some little vigour to last out.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
For he prefigures that society of men which says, "But I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God: I have trusted in the mercy of God." But let him not seek the empty honors of a famous name upon earth, for "Blessed is the man that maketh the name of the Lord his trust, and respecteth not …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Be "like a green olive tree in the house of God," never destitute of hope, but decked through faith with the bloom of salvation.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)