Psalms 52

1 Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s chesed ·loving-kindness· endures continually.

For the music director. A psalm (maskil) of David, concerning the time when Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the home of Ahimelech.” You great man, why do you boast about the evil things you've done? God's trustworthy love lasts all day long.

2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

You plot to make people suffer; your words cut like a sharp razor, you liar!

3 You 'ahavta ·affectionately love· evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. (Selah) ·contemplation with musical interlude·.

You love evil more than good, and telling lies more than speaking the truth. (Selah)

4 You 'ahavta ·affectionately love· all devouring words, you deceitful tongue.

You love slanderous words that destroy others, you liar!

5 God will likewise destroy you forever. He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. (Selah) ·contemplation with musical interlude·.

But God will strike you down so hard you'll never get up. He will grab hold of you and drag you from your tent. He will tear you out of the land of the living. (Selah)

6 The upright also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying,

Those who do right will see all this. They will be astonished and laugh, saying,

7 “Behold, this is the man who didn’t make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.”

“See what happens to those who don't go to God for help but instead rely on their great wealth and strength—which only brings their destruction!”

8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house. I trust in God’s chesed ·loving-kindness· forever and ever.

But I'm like an olive tree growing strongly in God's house. I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever.

9 I will yadah ·extend hands in thankful praise· to you forever, because you have done it. I will hope in your name, for it is good, in the presence of your saints.

I will praise you forever, God, for all you have done. In the presence of your trustworthy people, I will place my hope in the kind of person you are, for you are good.