Psalm 52:1-5 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 52:1-5

The title is a brief account of the story which the psalm refers to. David now, at length, saw it necessary to quit the court, and shift for his own safety, for fear of Saul, who had once and again attempted to murder him. Being unprovided wit harms and victuals, he, by a wile, got Ahimelech the priest to furnish him with both. Doeg an Edomite happened to be there, and he went and informed Saul against Ahimelech, representing him as confederate with a traitor, upon which accusation Saul... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:1

Why boastest thou thyself in mischief ?.... Or "in evil" F23 ברעה "in malo", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus. ; in that which is sinful; to glory in riches, wisdom, and strength, which are not in themselves evil, is wrong; and to rejoice in such boastings, all such rejoicing is evil; to be a doer of mischief, or sin, is bad; to make a sport of it, worse; but to glory in it, and boast of it when done, is worse still: to be boasters of evil things, is the character of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:2

Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs ,.... Abundance of mischiefs, in a variety of ways, against many persons, even all good men. What properly belongs to the heart is here ascribed to the tongue; because, as Aben Ezra observes, it is the interpreter and discoverer of the thoughts of the heart: out of the abundance of that the tongue speaks and declares the mischief it has devised. Doeg intended mischief to David, when he spoke to Saul, 1 Samuel 22:9 ; so antichrist devises mischiefs against the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:3

Thou lovest evil more than good ,.... Indeed not good at all; such comparatives being strong negatives; see Psalm 118:8 ; a wicked man loves evil, and nothing else; his carnal mind being enmity to all that is good and lying rather than to speak righteousness ; as appears by his affirming that Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for David, when he did not, 1 Samuel 22:10 ; and by suffering some things to pass for truths which were falsehoods, when it lay in his power to have disproved... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:4

Thou lovest all devouring words ,.... Or "words of swallowing up" F25 דברי בלע "verba absorptionis", Vatablus, Gejerus, Schmidt. ; such as lies, calumnies, and detractions are, which devour the characters and reputations of men, and are the cause sometimes of their utter ruin and destruction; of the devouring and blasphemous words of antichrist see Revelation 13:5 ; O thou deceitful tongue ; See Gill on Psalm 52:2 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:5

God shall likewise destroy thee for ever ,.... As a just retaliation for the mischief done to others; or, "therefore God shall destroy" F26 גם δια τουτο , Sept. "propterea", V. L. "idcirco etiam", Piscator; "ideo etiam", Michaelis. , &c.; even body and soul in hell, with an everlasting destruction, which will be the case of every wicked man, and particularly of the antichristian party, Revelation 14:10 ; the word is used of breaking down the house in which the leprosy was, ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 52:1

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, 1 Samuel 21:7 ; but I grant this is not decisive evidence that the Psalm may not have Doeg in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 52:2

Deviseth mischiefs - Lies and slanders proceeding from the tongue argue the desperate wickedness of the heart. Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully - Which instead of taking off the beard, cuts and wounds the flesh; or as the operator who, when pretending to trim the beard, cuts the throat. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 52:3

Thou lovest evil - This was a finished character. Let us note the particulars: He boasted in the power to do evil. His tongue devised, studied, planned, and spoke mischiefs. He was a deceitful worker. He loved evil and not good. He loved lying; his delight was in falsity. Every word that tended to the destruction of others he loved. 7. His tongue was deceitful; he pretended friendship while his heart was full of enmity, Psalm 52:1-4 . Now behold the punishment: - read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 52:5

God shall likewise destroy thee - read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 52:1-5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 52:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 52:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 52:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 52:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 52:5

Group of Brands