1 Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God `endureth' continually.
By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion. Upon the willows in the midst thereof We hanged up our harps.
The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: He hath ceased to be wise `and' to do good. He deviseth iniquity upon his bed; He setteth himself in a way that is not good; He abhorreth not evil. Thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, is in the heavens; Thy faithfulness `reacheth' unto the skies. Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; Thy judgments are a great deep: O Jehovah, thou preservest man and beast.
Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house? Have I to-day begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for thy servant knoweth nothing of all this, less or more. And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house. And the king said unto the guard that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of Jehovah; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Jehovah. And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before Jehovah: wherefore it is said, Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before Jehovah.
The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them: the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown. And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
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Commentary on Psalms 52 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 52
Ps 52:1-9. Compare 1Sa 21:1-10; 22:1-10, for the history of the title. Ps 52:1 gives the theme; the boast of the wicked over the righteous is vain, for God constantly cares for His people. This is expanded by describing the malice and deceit, and then the ruin, of the wicked, and the happy state of the pious.
1. mighty man—literally, "hero." Doeg may be thus addressed, ironically, in respect of his might in slander.
2. tongue—for self.
mischiefs—evil to others (Ps 5:9; 38:12).
working deceitfully—(Ps 10:7), as a keen, smoothly moving razor, cutting quietly, but deeply.
4. all-devouring—literally, "swallowing," which utterly destroy (compare Ps 21:9; 35:25).
5. likewise—or, "so," "also," as you have done to others God will do to you (Ps 18:27). The following terms describe the most entire ruin.
6. shall … fear—regard with religious awe.
laugh at him—for his folly;
7. for trusting in riches and being strong in "wickedness."
wickedness—literally, "mischief" (Ps 52:2), instead of trusting in God.
the man—literally, "the mighty man," or "hero" (Ps 52:1).
8. The figure used is common (Ps 1:3; Jer 11:16).
green—fresh.
house, &c.—in communion with God (compare Ps 27:4, 5).
for ever and ever—qualifies "mercy."
9. hast done—that is, what the context supplies, "preserved me" (compare Ps 22:31).
wait … name—hope in Thy perfections, manifested for my good (Ps 5:11; 20:1).
for it is good—that is, Thy name, and the whole method or result of its manifestation (Ps 54:6; 69:16).