Focused Passage

Psalms 52:1-5

The Boastful Tongue Uprooted and the Faithful Olive Tree Flourishing

The psalm moves from the exposure of boastful, deceitful speech, to God's promised judgment, to the righteous community's reverent interpretation, and finally to David's olive-tree confidence in God's enduring steadfast love.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

For the choirmaster. A Maskil of David. After Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”

1Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long.

2Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.

3You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah

4You love every word that devours, O deceitful tongue.

5Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

1 Samuel 22:6BSB references Psalms 34:8Classic cross-references James 3:5Classic cross-references Psalms 103:17Classic cross-references Psalms 107:1Classic cross-references Psalms 94:4Classic cross-references

Original words

Whyמַה־H4100Interrogativedo you boastתִּתְהַלֵּ֣לH1984Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine singularof evilבְּ֭רָעָהH7451Preposition-b | Adjective - feminine singularO mighty manהַגִּבּ֑וֹרH1368Article | Adjective - masculine singularThe loving devotionחֶ֥סֶדH2617Noun - masculine singular constructof Godאֵ֝֗לH410Noun - masculine singular[endures] allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructday longהַיּֽוֹם׃H3117Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Verse 2

Cross-references

Luke 6:45Classic cross-references Ephesians 4:29Classic cross-references Matthew 15:11Classic cross-references Jeremiah 18:18Classic cross-references Proverbs 12:18Classic cross-references

Original words

Your tongueלְשׁוֹנֶ֑ךָH3956Noun - common singular construct | second person masculine singulardevisesתַּחְשֹׁ֣בH2803Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singulardestructionהַ֭וּוֹתH1942Noun - feminine plurallike a sharpenedמְ֝לֻטָּ֗שׁH3913Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singularrazorכְּתַ֥עַרH8593Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularO workerעֹשֵׂ֥הH6213Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructof deceitרְמִיָּֽה׃H7423Noun - feminine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

Jeremiah 9:3Classic cross-references John 8:44Classic cross-references 2 Timothy 3:4Classic cross-references Ephesians 4:25Classic cross-references Micah 3:2Classic cross-references

Original words

You loveאָהַ֣בְתָּH157Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularevilרָּ֣עH7451Adjective - masculine singularmore than goodמִטּ֑וֹבH2896Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularfalsehoodשֶׁ֓קֶר׀H8267Noun - masculine singularmore than speakingמִדַּבֵּ֖רH1696Preposition-m | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructtruthצֶ֣דֶקH6664Noun - masculine singularSelahסֶֽלָה׃H5542Interjection

Verse 4

Cross-references

Proverbs 12:19Classic cross-references Psalms 120:3Classic cross-references James 3:6Classic cross-references Psalms 109:17Classic cross-references Psalms 109:2Classic cross-references

Original words

You loveאָהַ֥בְתָּH157Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singulareveryכָֽל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwordדִּבְרֵי־H1697Noun - masculine plural constructthat devoursבָ֗לַעH1105Noun - masculine singularO deceitfulמִרְמָֽה׃H4820Noun - feminine singulartongueלְשׁ֣וֹןH3956Noun - common singular construct

Verse 5

Cross-references

Proverbs 2:22Classic cross-references Psalms 37:34Classic cross-references Luke 12:20Classic cross-references Proverbs 24:16Classic cross-references Psalms 27:13Classic cross-references

Original words

Surelyגַּם־H1571ConjunctionGodאֵל֮H410Noun - masculine singularwill bring you downיִתָּצְךָ֪H5422Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularto everlasting ruinלָ֫נֶ֥צַחH5331Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularHe will snatch you upיַחְתְּךָ֣H2846Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularand tear you awayוְיִסָּחֲךָ֣H5255Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularfrom [your] tentמֵאֹ֑הֶלH168Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularHe will uproot youוְשֵֽׁרֶשְׁךָ֨H8327Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularfrom the landמֵאֶ֖רֶץH776Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructof the livingחַיִּ֣יםH2416Adjective - masculine pluralSelahסֶֽלָה׃H5542Interjection

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