Psalm 52a

For the director of music. A maskilb of David. When Doeg the Edomitex 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 boasty all day long,z

you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?

2 You who practice deceit,a

your tongue plots destruction;b

it is like a sharpened razor.c

3 You love evild rather than good,

falsehoode rather than speaking the truth.c

4 You love every harmful word,

you deceitful tongue!f

5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:

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

he will uprooth you from the land of the living.i

6 The righteous will see and fear;

they will laughj at you, saying,

7 “Here now is the man

who did not make God his strongholdk

but trusted in his great wealthl

and grew strong by destroying others!”

8 But I am like an olive treem

flourishing in the house of God;

I trustn in God’s unfailing love

for ever and ever.

9 For what you have done I will always praise youo

in the presence of your faithful people.p

And I will hope in your name,q

for your name is good.r