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Treacherous Tongue!

Psalm 52

For the music director: a contemplative song of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and reported to Saul telling him, “David went to Ahimelech’s house.”
Why do you brag about evil, mighty man?
God’s lovingkindness is every day.
Your tongue plots destruction,
like a sharp razor, working deceit.
You love evil instead of good,
lying rather than speaking right. Selah
You love only devouring words—
treacherous tongue!
God will pull you down forever,
and snatch you, rip you out of your tent,
and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
Then the righteous will see and fear,
and laugh at him:
“Here is the man who did not make God his stronghold.
Instead he trusted in his great riches—
    and was strong in his evil desire.”
10 But I—I am like an olive tree flourishing in the House of God.
I trust in God’s lovingkindness forever and ever.
11 I will praise You forever for what You have done.
I will hope in Your Name, for it is good,
in the presence of Your kedoshim.

The Steadfast Love of God Endures

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

52 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
    The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
Your (B)tongue plots destruction,
    like (C)a sharp razor, you (D)worker of deceit.
You love evil more than good,
    and (E)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 (F)tear you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from (G)the land of the living. Selah
The righteous shall (H)see and fear,
    and shall (I)laugh at him, saying,
“See the man who would not make
    God his refuge,
but (J)trusted in the abundance of his riches
    and sought refuge in his own destruction!”[b]

But I am like (K)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, (L)for it is good,
    in the presence of the (M)godly.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 52:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  2. Psalm 52:7 Or in his work of destruction