Like a Green Olive Tree
Psalm 52 summary: what it means
Psalm 52 is addressed to a boaster, called a mighty man. The heading links it to Doeg the Edomite, who told Saul that David had come to Ahimelech's house, though the psalm itself does not name him. It describes a man whose tongue is like a sharp razor, who loves evil more than good and lying more than truth. Against him stands one fact: God's loving kindness endures continually.
Verse 5 says God will root this man out of the land of the living, and the righteous will say he trusted his riches instead of God. Then the speaker describes himself in contrast: a green olive tree in God's house, trusting God's loving kindness for ever. The psalm ends in thanks and hope.
Psalm 52: Like a Green Olive Tree
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-52
Psalm 52 commentary: explained verse by verse
Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man?God’s loving kindness endures continually.
Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
The psalm speaks straight to the boaster, calling him a mighty man and asking why he boasts of mischief. In the same line it sets his boasting against something more lasting: God's loving kindness endures continually.
Also read Psalm 54:3, Psalm 10:2-3, Jeremiah 9:8, 1 Samuel 22:9-19
Your tongue plots destruction,like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
The boaster's weapon is his tongue. It plots destruction and works like a sharp razor, cutting while it deceives. The harm in this psalm is done by words.
Also read Psalm 140:2-3, Psalm 57:4, Acts 24:5, Proverbs 6:16-19
You love evil more than good,lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah.
Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
His character is summed up in two comparisons. He loves evil more than good and lying more than speaking the truth. Selah follows, as it does after verse 5.
Also read John 8:44, 2 Timothy 3:4, Micah 3:2, Jeremiah 9:8
You love all devouring words,you deceitful tongue.
Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
The charge is repeated. He loves devouring words, and the psalm addresses his deceitful tongue directly, as if the tongue were the man.
Also read Psalm 120:3, James 3:6-9, 1 Samuel 22:18-19
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.
God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.
The judgment is announced. God will destroy him for ever, pluck him out of his tent and root him out of the land of the living. He is pictured being pulled up like a plant, which prepares for the olive tree of verse 8.
Also read Psalm 120:2-4, Psalm 64:7-10, Proverbs 2:22, Psalm 140:9-11
The righteous also will see it, and fear,and laugh at him, saying,
The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
The righteous see his fall. They fear, and they laugh at him. What they say is quoted in the next verse.
Also read Job 22:19, Revelation 15:4, Psalm 64:9, Isaiah 37:22
“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.”
Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
The righteous give the verdict on his life. He did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and made himself strong through wickedness. The problem named is misplaced trust.
Also read Hosea 12:7-8, Ecclesiastes 8:8, Psalm 62:9-10, Isaiah 14:16-17
But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house.I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever.
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
The speaker turns to himself and draws the contrast. The boaster is uprooted, but he is like a green olive tree in God's house. He trusts in God's loving kindness for ever and ever, the same loving kindness named in verse 1.
Also read Psalm 92:12-14, Psalm 13:5, Jeremiah 11:16, Psalm 33:18
I will give you thanks 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 thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.
The psalm ends in thanks. The speaker will give thanks for ever because God has done it, and will hope in God's good name in the presence of his saints. The boasting of verse 1 has been replaced by praise of God.
Also read Psalm 123:2-3, Psalm 146:2, Psalm 48:9-10, Psalm 145:1-2
A prayer from Psalm 52
God, your loving kindness endures continually. I see tongues that plot destruction like a sharp razor, and people who love lying rather than speaking the truth. I bring that wrong to you and leave it in your hands. Keep me from making riches my strength or strengthening myself in wickedness. Keep my own tongue from deceit. Let me be like a green olive tree in your house, trusting in your loving kindness forever and ever. I will give you thanks, because you have done it. I will hope in your name, for it is good, in the presence of your saints. Amen.
Psalm 52 Bible study questions
- In verses 2 to 4, what does the psalm say about the mighty man's tongue?
- In verse 7, what did the man trust in instead of making God his strength?
- Verse 1 sets a man who boasts of mischief against God's loving kindness that endures continually; what do you make of that contrast?
- Verse 8 pictures the psalmist as a green olive tree in God's house; what does that image suggest to you?
- Psalm 1:3 also pictures a person as a flourishing tree; how does it compare with the olive tree of Psalm 52:8?
Questions about Psalm 52
What is Psalm 52 about?
It is about a deceitful boaster who trusts his riches instead of God, set against the speaker who trusts God's loving kindness. The boaster is uprooted, while the speaker flourishes like a green olive tree in God's house.
Who wrote Psalm 52?
The heading attributes it to David and links it to the time Doeg the Edomite told Saul that David had come to Ahimelech's house.
What does Psalm 52:8 mean?
It pictures the speaker as a green olive tree in God's house, in contrast with the boaster who is rooted out in verse 5. The King James Version reads "But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever."
What does Psalm 52:9 mean?
It is the psalm's closing thanks. The speaker promises to thank God for ever because he has done it, and to hope in his good name in the presence of his saints.
What does Psalm 52:7 mean?
It is the righteous people's verdict on the boaster: he did not make God his strength, but trusted in his riches and strengthened himself in wickedness.
How many verses are in Psalm 52?
Psalm 52 has nine verses in the World English Bible and the King James Version. There is no verse 10 in this numbering.
Psalm 52 KJV: the King James Version
Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.1
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.2
Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.3
Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.4
God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.5
The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:6
Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.7
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.8
I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.9
Psalm 52 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד׃
2 בְּב֤וֹא ׀ דּוֹאֵ֣ג הָאֲדֹמִי֮ וַיַּגֵּ֪ד לְשָׁ֫א֥וּל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֑וֹ בָּ֥א דָ֝וִ֗ד אֶל־בֵּ֥ית אֲחִימֶֽלֶךְ׃
3 מַה־תִּתְהַלֵּ֣ל בְּ֭רָעָה הַגִּבּ֑וֹר חֶ֥סֶד אֵ֝֗ל כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃
4 הַ֭וּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁ֣ב לְשׁוֹנֶ֑ךָ כְּתַ֥עַר מְ֝לֻטָּ֗שׁ עֹשֵׂ֥ה רְמִיָּֽה׃
5 אָהַ֣בְתָּ רָּ֣ע מִטּ֑וֹב שֶׁ֓קֶר ׀ מִדַּבֵּ֖ר צֶ֣דֶק סֶֽלָה׃
6 אָהַ֥בְתָּ כָֽל־דִּבְרֵי ־בָ֗לַע לְשׁ֣וֹן מִרְמָֽה׃
7 גַּם־אֵל֮ יִתָּצְךָ֪ לָ֫נֶ֥צַח יַחְתְּךָ֣ וְיִסָּחֲךָ֣ מֵאֹ֑הֶל וְשֵֽׁרֶשְׁךָ֨ מֵאֶ֖רֶץ חַיִּ֣ים סֶֽלָה׃
8 וְיִרְא֖וּ צַדִּיקִ֥ים וְיִירָ֗אוּ וְעָלָ֥יו יִשְׂחָֽקוּ׃
9 הִנֵּ֤ה הַגֶּ֗בֶר לֹ֤א יָשִׂ֥ים אֱלֹהִ֗ים מָֽע֫וּזּ֥וֹ וַ֭יִּבְטַח בְּרֹ֣ב עָשְׁר֑וֹ יָ֝עֹ֗ז בְּהַוָּתֽוֹ׃
10 וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ כְּזַ֣יִת רַ֭עֲנָן בְּבֵ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ים בָּטַ֥חְתִּי בְחֶֽסֶד־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃
11 אוֹדְךָ֣ לְ֭עוֹלָם כִּ֣י עָשִׂ֑יתָ וַאֲקַוֶּ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֥ כִֽי־ט֝֗וֹב נֶ֣גֶד חֲסִידֶֽיךָ׃
Psalm 52 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 51 there.
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1 Unto the end, understanding for David,
2 When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul David went to the house of Achimelech. 1 Kings 22
3 Why dost thou glory in malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity?
4 All the day long thy tongue hath devised injustice: as a sharp razor, thou hast wrought deceit.
5 Thou hast loved malice more than goodness: and iniquity rather than to speak righteousness.
6 Thou hast loved all the words of ruin, O deceitful tongue.
7 Therefore will God destroy thee for ever: he will pluck thee out, and remove thee from thy dwelling place: and thy root out of the land of the living.
8 The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say:
9 Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity.
10 But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea for ever and ever.
11 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good in the sight of thy saints.
Psalm 52 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 51.
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1 In finem. Intellectus David,
2 cum venit Doëg Idumæus, et nuntiavit Sauli: Venit David in domum Achimelech.
3 Quid gloriaris in malitia, qui potens es in iniquitate?
4 Tota die injustitiam cogitavit lingua tua; sicut novacula acuta fecisti dolum.
5 Dilexisti malitiam super benignitatem; iniquitatem magis quam loqui æquitatem.
6 Dilexisti omnia verba præcipitationis; lingua dolosa.
7 Propterea Deus destruet te in finem; evellet te, et emigrabit te de tabernaculo tuo, et radicem tuam de terra viventium.
8 Videbunt justi, et timebunt; et super eum ridebunt, et dicent:
9 Ecce homo qui non posuit Deum adjutorem suum; sed speravit in multitudine divitiarum suarum, et prævaluit in vanitate sua.
10 Ego autem, sicut oliva fructifera in domo Dei; speravi in misericordia Dei, in æternum et in sæculum sæculi.
11 Confitebor tibi in sæculum, quia fecisti; et exspectabo nomen tuum, quoniam bonum est in conspectu sanctorum tuorum.
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Psalm 52 at a glance
| Verses | 9 |
| Heading in the text | For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to Ahimelech’s house.” |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to David and links it to the time Doeg the Edomite told Saul that David had come to Ahimelech's house. |
| Type | Trust |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 51 |
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Psalm 52 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 52 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 52 belongs
Psalms of DavidBook 2 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source