Psalm 52: Like a Green Olive Tree in God's House
A rebuke of a deceitful tongue contrasted with quiet trust in God's mercy.
Psalm 52 confronts a 'mighty man' who boasts in mischief and loves lying words more than righteousness, a sharp contrast to David's own confession in Psalms 51. The tongue is compared to 'a sharp razor, working deceitfully.'
To him that excelleth. A Psalme of Dauid to giue instruction. When Doeg the Edomite came and shewed Saul, and saide to him, Dauid is come to the house of Abimelech. Why boastest thou thy selfe in thy wickednesse, O man of power? the louing kindenesse of God indureth dayly.
Thy tongue imagineth mischiefe, and is like a sharpe rasor, that cutteth deceitfully.
Thou doest loue euill more then good, and lies more then to speake the trueth. Selah.
Thou louest all wordes that may destroye, O deceitfull tongue!
So shall God destroy thee for euer: he shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy tabernacle, and roote thee out of ye land of the liuing. Selah.
The righteous also shall see it, and feare, and shall laugh at him, saying,
Beholde the man that tooke not God for his strength, but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches, and put his strength in his malice.
But I shall bee like a greene oliue tree in the house of God: for I trusted in the mercie of God for euer and euer.
I will alway praise thee, for that thou hast done this, and I will hope in thy Name, because it is good before thy Saints.