Psalms 52 · Verse 1

Psalms 52:1

To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
Psalms 52:1, King James Version

Psalms 52:1 in other translations

BSBFor the choirmaster. A Maskil of David. After Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.” Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long.
WEBFor the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to Ahimelech’s house.” Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually.
ASVFor the Chief Musician. Maschil of David; when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God endureth continually.
YLTTo the Overseer. --An instruction, by David, in the coming in of Doeg the Edomite, and he declareth to Saul, and saith to him, ‘David came in unto the house of Ahimelech.' What, boasteth thou in evil, O mighty one? The kindness of God is all the day.
DARBYTo the chief Musician: an instruction. Of David; when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David came to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in evil, thou mighty man? The loving-kindness of God abideth continually.
BBEWhy do you take pride in wrongdoing, lifting yourself up against the upright man all the day?
WebsterTo the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.

What does Psalms 52:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Psa 52:1-9. Compare 1Sa 21:1-10; 22:1-10, for the history of the title. Psa 52:1 gives the theme; the boast of the wicked over the righteous is vain, for God constantly cares for His people. This is expanded by describing the malice and deceit, and then the ruin, of the wicked, and the happy state of the pious.

1. mighty man--literally, "hero." Doeg may be thus addressed, ironically, in respect of his might in slander.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The psalmist points out the malevolence of a powerful enemy, and predicts his destruction, Psa 52:1-5. At which destruction the righteous should rejoice, Psa 52:6, Psa 52:7. The psalmist's confidence on God, Psa 52:8, Psa 52:9. The title is, "To the chief Musician, an instructive Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul, and said to him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech." The history to which this alludes is the following: David, having learned that Saul was determined to destroy him, went to take refuge with Achish, king of Gath: in his journey he passed by Nob, where the tabernacle then was, and took thence the sword of Goliath; and, being spent with hunger, took some of the shewbread. Doeg, an Edomite, one of the domestics of Saul, being there, went to Saul, and informed him of these transactions. Saul immediately ordered Ahimelech into his presence, upbraided him for being a partisan of David, and ordered Doeg to slay him and all the priests. Doeg did so, and there fell by his hand eighty-five persons. And Saul sent and destroyed Nob and all its inhabitants, old and young, with all their property; none escaping but Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, who immediately joined himself to David. The account may be found 1Sam 21:1-7; 1Sam 22:9-23. All the Versions agree in this title except the Syriac, which speaks of it as a Psalm directed against vice in general, with a prediction of the destruction of evil. Though the Psalm be evidently an invective against some great, wicked, and tyrannical man, yet I think it too mild in its composition for a transaction the most barbarous on record, and the most flagrant vice in the whole character of Saul. Verse 1 Why boastest thou thyself - It is thought that Doeg boasted of his loyalty to Saul in making the above discovery; but the information was aggravated by circumstances of falsehood that tended greatly to inflame and irritate the mind of Saul. Exaggeration and lying are common to all informers. O mighty man? - This character scarcely comports with Doeg, who was only chief of the herdsmen of Saul, 1Sam 21:7; but I grant this is not decisive evidence that the Psalm may not have Doeg in view, for the chief herdsman may have been a man of credit and authority.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 52:1-5
Those that glory in sin, glory in their shame. The patience and forbearance of God are abused by sinners, to the hardening of their hearts in their wicked ways. But the enemies in vain boast in their mischief, while we have God's mercy to trust in. It will not save us from the guilt of lying, to be able to say, there was some truth in what we said, if we make it appear otherwise than it was. The more there is of craft and contrivance in any wickedness, the more there is of Satan in it. When good men die, they are transplanted from the land of the living on earth, to heaven, the garden of the Lord, where they shall take root for ever; but when wicked men die, they are rooted out, to perish for ever. The believer sees that God will destroy those who make not him their strength.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 52:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מַה\־mah-why?H4100
תִּתְהַלֵּ֣לtit.ha.Leldo you boastH1984
בְּ֭רָעָהBe.ra.'ahin evilH7451
הַגִּבּ֑וֹרha.gi.BorO mighty [man]H1368
חֶ֥סֶדChe.sed[the] covenant loyalty ofH2617
אֵ֝֗ל'ElGodH410
כָּל\־kol-[is] allH3605
הַיּֽוֹם\׃hai.Yomthe dayH3117

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 52:1

  • Psalms 103:17

    But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;

  • Psalms 107:1

    O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  • Psalms 94:4

    How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?

  • 1 Samuel 21:7

    Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.

  • Isaiah 59:4

    None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

  • Proverbs 6:14

    Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

  • Psalms 7:14

    Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

  • Psalms 137:1-2

    By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

  • Genesis 10:8-9

    And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.

  • Psalms 36:3-6

    The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good. He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.

  • Genesis 6:4-5

    There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

  • 2 Timothy 3:2

    For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 David, condemning the spitefulness of Doeg, prophesies his destruction.
6 The righteous shall rejoice at it.
8 David, upon his confidence in God's mercy, gives thanks.

A.M. 2942. B.C. 1062. (Title.) Doeg.
54:3; 1Sa 21:7; 22:9-19
told.
59:7; Jer 9:8; Ex 22:9
boastest.
10:2,3; 94:4; Ro 1:30; 2Ti 3:2
mischief.
7:14; 10:7; 36:3-6; Pr 6:14,18; Isa 59:4; Mic 7:3
O mighty.
Ge 6:4,5; 10:8,9; 1Sa 21:7
goodness.
103:17; 107:1; 137:1,2; 1Jo 4:7,8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 52:1

    To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.

  • Psalms 52:2

    Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

Read all of Psalms 52

Psalms 52:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Al Músico principal: Masquil de David, cuando vino Doeg Idumeo y dió cuenta á Saúl, diciéndole: David ha venido á casa de Ahimelech. ¿POR qué te glorías de maldad, oh poderoso? La misericordia de Dios es continua.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Au chef de musique; pour instruire. De David;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Was rühmst du dich des Bösen, du Gewaltiger? Die Güte Gottes währt den ganzen Tag.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		In finem, pro Maëleth intelligentiæ David. Dixit insipiens in corde suo: Non est Deus.