Psalm 52–54

PSALM 52

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

¹Why do you boast, O mighty man,

of mischief done against the godly?

All the day

²you are plotting destruction.

Your tongue is like a sharp razor,

you worker of treachery.

³You love evil more than good,

and lying more than speaking the truth. [Selah] ⁴You love all words that devour,

O deceitful tongue.

⁵But God will break you down for ever;

he will snatch and tear you from your tent;

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

⁶The righteous shall see, and fear,

and shall laugh at him, saying,

⁷“See the man who would not make God his refuge,

but trusted in the abundance of his riches,

and sought refuge in his wealth!”

⁸But I am like a green olive tree

in the house of God.

I trust in the steadfast love of God

for ever and ever.

⁹I will thank thee for ever,

because thou hast done it.

I will proclaim thy name, for it is good,

in the presence of the godly.

PSALM 53

To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

¹The fool says in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;

there is none that does good.

²God looks down from heaven

upon the sons of men

to see if there are any that are wise,

that seek after God.

³They have all fallen away;

they are all alike depraved;

there is none that does good,

no, not one.

⁴Have those who work evil no understanding,

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon God?

⁵There they are, in great terror,

in terror such as has not been!

For God will scatter the bones of the ungodly;

they will be put to shame, for God has rejected them.

⁶O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!

When God restores the fortunes of his people,

Jacob will rejoice and Israel be glad.

PSALM 54

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “David is in hiding among us.”

¹Save me, O God, by thy name,

and vindicate me by thy might.

²Hear my prayer, O God;

give ear to the words of my mouth.

³For insolent men have risen against me,

ruthless men seek my life;

they do not set God before them. [Selah]

⁴Behold, God is my helper;

the Lord is the upholder of my life.

⁵He will requite my enemies with evil;

in thy faithfulness put an end to them.

⁶With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to thee;

I will give thanks to thy name, O Lord, for it is good.

⁷For thou hast delivered me from every trouble,

and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.