Bible Commentaries
Psalms 52

Verses 1-9

Title.—(RV) ’For 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.’ In some respects Doeg (1 Samuel 22:9) might stand for the original of the wicked man in this Ps., but the absence of all reference to the massacre of the priests at Nob (1 Samuel 22:17-19) throws grave doubt upon the correctness of the title. The Ps. appears to reflect the social evils denounced by the prophets of later times (see Amos 5:11; Amos 8:6; Micah 2:2; Micah 3:2-3; Micah 7:3), and to be directed against some prominent oppressor, whose character and fate are depicted in Psalms 52:1-5, while Psalms 52:6-9 describe the contrasted happiness of the righteous man.

1. Goodness] RV ’mercy.’ God] is here ’El,’ the Strong One, whose power is greater than that of the mightiest man. ’The goodness of God’ is the fact that makes the boast of the strongest evil-doer to be vain.

6. Fear.. laugh] These two emotions are not inconsistent. The one is the solemn awe inspired by the suddenness of the tyrant’s downfall, the other the gladness caused by the revelation of God’s righteousness.

7-9. These vv. are put into the mouth of the righteous, and are introduced in RV by ’saying.’

7. Cp. Psalms 49.

8. But I am] RV ’But as for me, I am.’ A green olive tree] in contrast with the wicked who is rooted up like a weed (Psalms 52:5): cp. Psalms 92:13-14;

9. Before thy saints] RV ’in the presence of thy saints,’ to be connected with I will wait. Possibly we should read,’ I will declare that thy name is good,’ etc.