Psalm 52

Common English Bible

Psalm 52

For the music leader. A maskil^[a] of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has gone to Ahimelech’s house.”

52 Hey, powerful person!
    Why do you brag about evil?
    God’s faithful love lasts all day long.
²Your tongue devises destruction:
    it’s like a sharpened razor, causing deception.
³You love evil more than good;
    you love lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
⁴You love all destructive words;
    you love the deceiving tongue.

⁵But God will take you down permanently;
    he will snatch you up,
    tear you out of your tent,
    and uproot you from the land of the living! Selah
⁶The righteous will see and be in awe;
    they will laugh at those people:
⁷“Look at them! They didn’t make God their refuge.
    Instead, they trusted in their own great wealth.
        They sought refuge in it—to their own destruction!”

⁸But I am like a green olive tree in God’s house;
    I trust in God’s faithful love forever and always.
⁹I will give thanks to you, God, forever,
    because you have acted.
In the presence of your faithful people,
    I will hope in your name because it’s so good.

Footnotes

Psalm 52:1 Perhaps instruction

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.

Common English Bible (CEB)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 52

Common English Bible

Psalm 52

For the music leader. A maskil^[a] of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has gone to 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 Common English Bible

Psalm 52

For the music leader. A maskil[a] of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has gone to 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

Common English Bible

For the music leader. A maskil^[a] of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has gone to Ahimelech’s house.”

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.”