WHAT IS YOUR STRONGHOLD?
Key verse: 8
NIV
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.”
1 Why 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?
2 You who practice deceit,(D)
your tongue plots destruction;(E)
it is like a sharpened razor.(F)
3 You love evil(G) rather than good,
falsehood(H) rather than speaking the truth.[c]
4 You love every harmful word,
you deceitful tongue!(I)
5 Surely 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)
6 The 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!”
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.
Cross references
- Psalm 52:1 : 1Sa 21:7; 22:9
- Psalm 52:1 : Ps 10:3; 94:4
- Psalm 52:1 : Ps 44:8
- Psalm 52:2 : S Ps 50:19
- Psalm 52:2 : Ps 5:9
- Psalm 52:2 : S Nu 6:5
- Psalm 52:3 : Ex 10:10; 1Sa 12:25; Am 5:14-15; Jn 3:20
- Psalm 52:3 : Ps 58:3; Jer 9:5; Rev 21:8
- Psalm 52:4 : Ps 5:9; 10:7; 109:2; 120:2, 3; Pr 10:31; 12:19
- Psalm 52:5 : S Dt 29:28; S Job 40:12; Isa 22:19; Eze 17:24
- Psalm 52:5 : S Dt 28:63
- Psalm 52:5 : S Job 28:13
- Psalm 52:6 : S Job 22:19
- Psalm 52:7 : S 2Sa 22:3
- Psalm 52:7 : S Ps 49:6; S Pr 11:28; Mk 10:23
- Psalm 52:8 : S Ps 1:3; S Rev 11:4
- Psalm 52:8 : Ps 6:4; 13:5
- Psalm 52:9 : S Ps 30:12
- Psalm 52:9 : S Dt 7:6; Ps 16:3
- Psalm 52:9 : S Job 7:6; Ps 25:3
- Psalm 52:9 : Ps 54:6
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Steadfast Love of God Endures
To the choirmaster. A Maskil[a] of David, when (A)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 steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your (B)tongue plots destruction,
like (C)a sharp razor, you (D)worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
and (E)lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever;
he will snatch and (F)tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from (G)the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous shall (H)see and fear,
and shall (I)laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make
God his refuge,
but (J)trusted in the abundance of his riches
and sought refuge in his own destruction!”[b]
8 But I am like (K)a green olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever,
because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, (L)for it is good,
in the presence of the (M)godly.
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Footnotes
- Psalm 52:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 52:7 Or in his work of destruction
Cross references
- Psalm 52:1 : 1 Sam. 22:9
- Psalm 52:2 : Ps. 50:19
- Psalm 52:2 : [Ps. 57:4]
- Psalm 52:2 : Ps. 101:7
- Psalm 52:3 : [Jer. 9:4, 5]
- Psalm 52:5 : Prov. 2:22
- Psalm 52:5 : See Ps. 27:13
- Psalm 52:6 : See Ps. 40:3
- Psalm 52:6 : See Ps. 2:4
- Psalm 52:7 : See Ps. 49:6
- Psalm 52:8 : Jer. 11:16; [Ps. 1:3; 37:35; 92:12, 13; 128:3; 144:12; Hos. 14:6]
- Psalm 52:9 : Ps. 54:6
- Psalm 52:9 : See Ps. 50:5
52 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your (B)tongue plots destruction,
like (C)a sharp razor, you (D)worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
and (E)lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever;
he will snatch and (F)tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from (G)the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous shall (H)see and fear,
and shall (I)laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make
God his refuge,
but (J)trusted in the abundance of his riches
and sought refuge in his own destruction!”[b]
8 But I am like (K)a green olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever,
because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, (L)for it is good,
in the presence of the (M)godly.
Footnotes
- Psalm 52:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 52:7 Or in his work of destruction
Cross references
- Psalm 52:1 : 1 Sam. 22:9
- Psalm 52:2 : Ps. 50:19
- Psalm 52:2 : [Ps. 57:4]
- Psalm 52:2 : Ps. 101:7
- Psalm 52:3 : [Jer. 9:4, 5]
- Psalm 52:5 : Prov. 2:22
- Psalm 52:5 : See Ps. 27:13
- Psalm 52:6 : See Ps. 40:3
- Psalm 52:6 : See Ps. 2:4
- Psalm 52:7 : See Ps. 49:6
- Psalm 52:8 : Jer. 11:16; [Ps. 1:3; 37:35; 92:12, 13; 128:3; 144:12; Hos. 14:6]
- Psalm 52:9 : Ps. 54:6
- Psalm 52:9 : See Ps. 50:5
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
When David had gone to Ahimelek the priest for nourishment (1 Sam 21) Doeg the Edomite had been there. He reported David to Saul and accused Ahimelek of conspiring with David against Saul. This was not true, yet Saul ordered Doeg to strike down Ahimelek and all the priests of the LORD, as well as their whole city including women, children and livestock (1 Sam 22).
It is hard to make sense of the wickedness and outright violence and brutality that we see in the world by the hand of wicked rulers and the people who profit from them. Their stronghold is money and power from destroying others (7).
Rather than drown in bitterness or despair, David wrote a psalm that recognizes God’s unfailing love as his stronghold. Even in the midst of wickedness, he could flourish and hold on to hope.
Prayer: Lord, help me not to grow bitter or complacent toward the evil in the world but stay rooted in your unfailing love and hope.
One Word: Trust in God’s unfailing love
