Psalm 52:1–9

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?

The steadfast love of God endures all the day.

Your tongue plots destruction,

like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.

You love evil more than good,

and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah

You love all words that devour,

O deceitful tongue.

But God will break you down forever;

he will snatch and tear you from your tent;

he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

The righteous shall see and fear,

and shall laugh at him, saying,

“See the man who would not make

God his refuge,

but trusted in the abundance of his riches

and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

But I am like a green olive tree

in the house of God.

I trust in the steadfast love of God

forever and ever.

I will thank you forever,

because you have done it.

I will wait for your name, for it is good,

in the presence of the godly.

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?

Why do you boast all day long,

you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?

You who practice deceit,

your tongue plots destruction;

it is like a sharpened razor.

You love evil rather than good,

falsehood rather than speaking the truth.

You love every harmful word,

you deceitful tongue!

Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:

He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent;

he will uproot you from the land of the living.

The righteous will see and fear;

they will laugh at you, saying,

“Here now is the man

who did not make God his stronghold

but trusted in his great wealth

and grew strong by destroying others!”

But I am like an olive tree

flourishing in the house of God;

I trust in God’s unfailing love

for ever and ever.

For what you have done I will always praise you

in the presence of your faithful people.

And I will hope in your name,

for your name is good.

Why boast about evil, you hero!

God’s faithful love is constant.

Like a sharpened razor,

your tongue devises destruction,

working treachery.

You love evil instead of good,

lying instead of speaking truthfully.

Selah

You love any words that destroy,

you treacherous tongue!

This is why God will bring you down forever.

He will take you, ripping you out of your tent;

he will uproot you from the land of the living.

Selah

The righteous will see and fear,

and they will derisively say about that hero,

“Here is the man

who would not make God his refuge,

but trusted in the abundance of his riches,

taking refuge in his destructive behavior.”

But I am like a flourishing olive tree

in the house of God;

I trust in God’s faithful love forever and ever.

I will praise you forever for what you have done.

In the presence of your faithful people,

I will put my hope in your name, for it is good.

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior?

Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?

All day long you plot destruction.

Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;

you’re an expert at telling lies.

You love evil more than good

and lies more than truth.

Interlude

You love to destroy others with your words,

you liar!

But God will strike you down once and for all.

He will pull you from your home

and uproot you from the land of the living.

Interlude

The righteous will see it and be amazed.

They will laugh and say,

“Look what happens to mighty warriors

who do not trust in God.

They trust their wealth instead

and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.”

But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.

I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.

I will praise you forever, O God,

for what you have done.

I will trust in your good name

in the presence of your faithful people.

Why do you boast about evil, O mighty man?

The loyal love of God endures continually.

Your tongue plans destruction,

like a sharp razor, working deceit.

You love evil more than good,

a lie more than speaking what is right. Selah

You love all devouring words,

O deceitful tongue,

but God will pull you down forever.

He will snatch you and tear you away from your tent,

and he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

And the righteous will see and fear,

and will laugh at him, saying,

“Look, the man who would not make God his refuge,

but he trusted in the greatness of his wealth;

he took refuge in his destructiveness.”

But I am like an olive tree flourishing

in the house of God.

I trust the loyal love of God forever and ever.

I will give thanks to you forever, because of what you have done,

and I will wait on your name, because it is good,

in the presence of your faithful ones.

Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?

The goodness of God endureth continually.

Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs;

Like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully.

Thou lovest evil more than good;

And lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

Thou lovest all devouring words,

O thou deceitful tongue.

God shall likewise destroy thee for ever,

He shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place,

And root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

The righteous also shall see, and fear,

And shall laugh at him:

Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength;

But trusted in the abundance of his riches,

And strengthened himself in his wickedness.

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God:

I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it:

And I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.