Psalm 52

Last updated
Psalm 52
"Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?"
German - Leaf from Claricia Psalter - Walters W2664R - Open Obverse.jpg
Beginning of Psalm 52 in Claricia's Psalter
Other name
  • Psalm 51
  • "Quid gloriatur in malitia"
TextAttributed to King David
LanguageHebrew (original)

Psalm 52 is the 52nd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 51. In Latin, it is known as "Quid gloriatur in malitia", [1] It is described as a maskil, [2] attributed to David, and is said to have been written "when Doeg the Edomite went and told Saul, and said to him, "David has gone to the house of Ahimelech". [3] In this psalm, David criticises those who use their talents for evil. [4]

Contents

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant liturgies.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text [5] [6] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

VerseHebrewEnglish translation (JPS 1917)
1לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד׃For the Leader. Maschil of David;
2בְּב֤וֹא ׀ דּוֹאֵ֣ג הָאֲדֹמִי֮ וַיַּגֵּ֢ד לְשָׁ֫א֥וּל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֑וֹ בָּ֥א דָ֝וִ֗ד אֶל־בֵּ֥ית אֲחִימֶֽלֶךְ׃when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him: 'David is come to the house of Ahimelech.'
3מַה־תִּתְהַלֵּ֣ל בְּ֭רָעָה הַגִּבּ֑וֹר חֶ֥סֶד אֵ֝֗ל כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃Why boastest thou thyself of evil, O mighty man? The mercy of God endureth continually.
4הַ֭וּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁ֣ב לְשׁוֹנֶ֑ךָ כְּתַ֥עַר מְ֝לֻטָּ֗שׁ עֹשֵׂ֥ה רְמִיָּֽה׃Thy tongue deviseth destruction; Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
5אָהַ֣בְתָּ רָּ֣ע מִטּ֑וֹב שֶׁ֓קֶר ׀ מִדַּבֵּ֖ר צֶ֣דֶק סֶֽלָה׃Thou lovest evil more than good; Falsehood rather than speaking righteousness. Selah
6אָהַ֥בְתָּ כׇֽל־דִּבְרֵי־בָ֗לַע לְשׁ֣וֹן מִרְמָֽה׃Thou lovest all devouring words, The deceitful tongue.
7גַּם־אֵל֮ יִתׇּצְךָ֢ לָ֫נֶ֥צַח יַחְתְּךָ֣ וְיִסָּחֲךָ֣ מֵאֹ֑הֶל וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךָ֨ מֵאֶ֖רֶץ חַיִּ֣ים סֶֽלָה׃God will likewise break thee for ever, He will take thee up, and pluck thee out of thy tent, And root thee out of the land of the living. Selah
8וְיִרְא֖וּ צַדִּיקִ֥ים וְיִירָ֗אוּ וְעָלָ֥יו יִשְׂחָֽקוּ׃The righteous also shall see, and fear, And shall laugh at him:
9הִנֵּ֤ה הַגֶּ֗בֶר לֹ֤א יָשִׂ֥ים אֱלֹהִ֗ים מָ֫עוּזּ֥וֹ וַ֭יִּבְטַח בְּרֹ֣ב עׇשְׁר֑וֹ יָ֝עֹ֗ז בְּהַוָּתֽוֹ׃'Lo, this is the man that made not God his stronghold; But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness.'
10וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ כְּזַ֣יִת רַ֭עֲנָן בְּבֵ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ים בָּטַ֥חְתִּי בְחֶסֶד־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃But as for me, I am like a leafy olive-tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
11אוֹדְךָ֣ לְ֭עוֹלָם כִּ֣י עָשִׂ֑יתָ וַאֲקַוֶּ֥ה שִׁמְךָ֥ כִי־ט֝֗וֹב נֶ֣גֶד חֲסִידֶֽיךָ׃I will give Thee thanks for ever, because Thou hast done it; And I will wait for Thy name, for it is good, in the presence of Thy saints.

King James Version

  1. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
  2. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
  3. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
  4. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
  5. 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.
  6. The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
  7. 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.
  8. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
  9. 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.

Context

The psalm's sub-heading refers to the occasion reported in 1 Samuel 2122 when Doeg, the chief herdsman of Saul, the first king of Israel, informed Saul that David had been received by Ahimelech at Nob, a priestly town in the vicinity of Jerusalem, and assisted with the means for his flight. Alexander Kirkpatrick observes that "the character denounced in the Psalm is in some respects such as we may suppose Doeg to have been. He was a man of wealth and importance as the chief of Saul’s herdmen (or, according to the LXX, the keeper of his mules). His tongue was "a deceitful tongue", because although the facts he reported were true, he helped to confirm Saul in a false and cruel suspicion. [7]

However, Kirkpatrick notes that

the entire absence of any reference to the cold-blooded and sacrilegious murder of the priests at Nob, in which Doeg acted as Saul’s agent, when all his other officers shrank from executing his brutal order, makes it difficult, if not impossible, to suppose that the Psalm was really written by David on that occasion, unless we could assume that it was composed after Doeg’s information was given but before the massacre was perpetrated, which is wholly improbable. [7]

Instead, he argues that

Just sufficient appropriateness may be traced to account for the title having been prefixed by the compiler of this division of the Psalter, or for the Psalm having been connected with the story of Doeg in some historical work from which the compiler took it. [7]

Use

Latin divisions

This psalm opens the second section of the three traditional divisions of the Latin psalter, and for this reason the first words (Quid gloriatur in malitia qui potens est iniquitate...), and above all the initial "Q", were often greatly enlarged in illuminated manuscript psalters, following the pattern of the Beatus initials at the start of Psalm 1, and the "D" of Psalm 102. [8]

Eastern Orthodox Church

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Psalm 51 (Psalm 52 in the Masoretic Text) is part of the seventh Kathisma division of the Psalter, read at Matins on Tuesday mornings, as well as on Mondays and Thursdays during Lent, at the Third Hour and Matins, respectively. [9]

Psalm form

According to Hermann Gunkel's system of classification, Psalm 52 was conditionally classified as an Individual Psalm of Trust, one that demonstrates an expression of trust or confidence in YHWH's assistant to the petitioner. [10]

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer , this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the tenth day of the month. [11]

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a paraphrase of Psalm 52 in German, "Was trotzst denn du, Tyrann, so hoch", SWV 149, for the Becker Psalter , published first in 1628.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 89</span>

Psalm 89 is the 89th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 88. In Latin, it is known as "Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo". It is described as a maschil or "contemplation".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 74</span>

Psalm 74 is the 74th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 73. In Latin, it is known as "Ut quid Deus reppulisti in finem iratus". Subheaded a maschil or contemplation, and a community lament, it expresses the pleas of the Jewish community in the Babylonian captivity. It is attributed to Asaph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 5</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 5 is the fifth psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation". In Latin, it is known as "Verba mea auribus percipe Domine". The psalm is traditionally attributed to David. It reflects how the righteous man prays for deliverance not only for freedom from suffering, but to allow himself to serve God without distraction. The New King James Version entitles it "A Prayer for Guidance".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 7</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 7 is the seventh psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me". In Latin, it is known as "Domine Deus meus in te speravi". Its authorship is traditionally assigned to King David. The message in the psalm is that the righteous may seem weak, but ultimately will prevail against the wicked.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 10</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 10 is the tenth psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?" In the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, it is not an individual psalm but the second part of psalm 9, "Ut quid Domine recessisti". These two consecutive psalms have the form of a single acrostic Hebrew poem. Compared to Psalm 9, Psalm 10 is focused more on the individual than the collective human condition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 16</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 16 is the 16th psalm in the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 21</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 21 is the 21st psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The king shall joy in thy strength". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 20. In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "Domine in virtute tua". The psalm is attributed to David.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 32</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 32 is the 32nd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 31. In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "Beati quorum". The psalmist expresses the joy of being released from great suffering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 39</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 39 is the 39th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 38. In Latin, it is known as "Dixi custodiam vias meas". It is a meditation on the fragility of man before God, ending in a prayer for a peaceful life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 40</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 40 is the 40th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "I waited patiently for the LORD". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 39. In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "Expectans expectavi Dominum". It is described by the Jerusalem Bible as a "song of praise and prayer for help".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 41</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 41 is the 41st psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Blessed is he that considereth the poor". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible, and generally in its Latin translations, this psalm is Psalm 40. In the Vulgate, it begins "Beatus qui intellegit super egenum et pauperem". The final psalm in Book One of the collection, it is attributed to King David.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 139</span> 139th psalm of the biblical Book of Psalms

Psalm 139 is the 139th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me". In Latin, it is known as "Domine probasti me et cognovisti me". The psalm is a hymn psalm. Attributed to David, it is known for its affirmation of God's omnipresence. Alexander Kirkpatrick states that "the consciousness of the intimate personal relation between God and man which is characteristic of the whole Psalter reaches its climax here".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 45</span>

Psalm 45 is the 45th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "My heart is inditing a good matter". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 44. In Latin, it is known as "Eructavit cor meum". It was composed by the sons of Korach on the shoshanim–either a musical instrument or the tune to which the psalm should be sung. The psalm has been interpreted as an epithalamium, or wedding song, written to a king on the day of his marriage to a foreign woman, and is one of the royal psalms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 49</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 49 is the 49th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and generally in its Latin translations, this psalm is Psalm 48. In the Vulgate, it begins "Audite haec omnes gentes". The psalm is attributed to the sons of Korah and is closely connected with the "Wisdom" or religious philosophy of ancient Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 55</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 55 is the 55th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version, "Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my supplication". The Book of Psalms forms part of the ketuvim, the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and is part of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible, and in the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 54. In Latin, it is known as "Exaudi Deus orationem meam". The psalm is a lament in which the author grieves because he is surrounded by enemies, and one of his closest friends has betrayed him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 57</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 57 is the 57th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me". In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 56. In Latin, it is known as " Miserere mei Deus". It is attributed to King David, and is described as a Michtam of David, when he fled from the face of Saul, in the cave, recalling either the cave of Adullam, or the cave in the wilderness of En-gedi, on the western shore of the Dead Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 60</span> Sacred song from the Hebrew Bible

Psalm 60 is the 60th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us". In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 59. In Latin, it is known as "Deus reppulisti nos et destruxisti nos". It is addressed "to the chief Musician upon Shushan Eduth", referring to the title of a song, presumably identifying the intended melody, mentioned only here and in Psalm 80, and described as "a Michtam of David, when he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand." The heading text in the Revised Standard Version and the New American Bible Revised Edition refers to Aram-Zobah, whereas in the New King James Version the reference is to Zobah. The psalm has been called a psalm of communal lament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 66</span>

Psalm 66 is the 66th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands". In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 65. In Latin, it is known as "Iubilate Deo omnis terra". It is a psalm of thanksgiving probably intended for use at the Passover. The psalm is divided into two parts: in verses 1-12 the community praises God and invites the whole world to join in praise; in verses 13–20, "an individual from the rescued community fulfils a vow to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 75</span>

Psalm 75 is the 75th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks". The Book of Psalms forms part of the Ketuvim section of the Hebrew Bible and part of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in its Latin translation, the Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 74. In Latin, it is known as "Confitebimur tibi Deus". It is one of the psalms of Asaph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 88</span>

Psalm 88 is the 88th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 87. In Latin, it is known as "Domine Deus salutis meae". According to the title, it is a "psalm of the sons of Korah" as well as a "maskil of Heman the Ezrahite".

References

  1. Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 51 / 52 Archived 7 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
  2. Psalm heading to Psalm 52 in the New International Version
  3. Psalm heading to Psalm 52 in the New King James Version
  4. The Artscroll Tehillim, page 110
  5. "Psalms – Chapter 52". Mechon Mamre.
  6. "Psalms 52 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  7. 1 2 3 Kirkpatrick, A. (1906), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 52, accessed 21 November 2021
  8. Calkins, Robert G. Illuminated Books of the Middle Ages, p. 208, 1983, Cornell University Press, ISBN   0500233756
  9. The Holy Psalter, Saint Ignatius Orthodox Press, 2022
  10. Coogan, Michael D. (2011). The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Testament. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 453. ISBN   978-0-19-537840-5.
  11. Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 196ff