Psalm 52

GOD’S WORD Translation

For the choir director; a maskil; a psalm by David when Doeg (who was from Edom) told Saul that David had come to Ahimelech’s home.

52 Why do you brag about the evil you’ve done, you hero?
The mercy of God lasts all day long!
²Your tongue makes up threats.
It’s like a sharp razor, you master of deceit.
³You prefer evil to good.
You prefer lying to speaking the truth. Selah
⁴You love every destructive accusation, you deceitful tongue!

⁵But God will ruin you forever.
He will grab you and drag you out of your tent.
He will pull your roots out of this world of the living. Selah
⁶Righteous people will see ⌞this⌟ and be struck with fear.
They will laugh at you and say,
⁷“Look at this person who refused to make God his fortress!
Instead, he trusted his great wealth
and became strong through his greed.”

⁸But I am like a large olive tree in God’s house.
I trust the mercy of God forever and ever.
⁹I will give thanks to you forever
for what you have done.
In the presence of your godly people,
I will wait with hope in your good name.

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.

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 52

GOD’S WORD Translation

For the choir director; a maskil; a psalm by David when Doeg (who was from Edom) told Saul that David had come to Ahimelech’s home.

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 GOD’S WORD Translation

For the choir director; a maskil; a psalm by David when Doeg (who was from Edom) told Saul that David had come to Ahimelech’s home.

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

GOD’S WORD Translation

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.”