[1] Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
Continually — God is continually doing good: thou art continually doing mischief.
O mighty — He speaks ironically. O valiant captain! To kill a few weak and unarmed persons.
Verse 2
[2] Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
Deviseth — Expresses what thy wicked mind had devised.
Deceitfully — Doeg pretended only to vindicate himself from disloyalty, 1 Samuel 22:8, but he really intended to expose the priests, to the king's fury.
Verse 5
[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*/.
Pluck thee — Violently and suddenly as the Hebrew word signifies, from thy house and lands, and all the wages of thy righteousness.
Root — Though thou seemest to have taken deep root, yet God shall pluck thee up by the very roots, and destroy thee both root and branch.
Verse 6
[6] The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
Fear — Reverence God's just judgment.
Verse 8
[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.
The house — In God's church, or among his people.
Verse 9
[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.
Thou hast — Destroyed mine and thine implacable enemies, and established me in the throne, of which I am no less assured, than if it were already done. I will continue in thy way, placing my whole confidence in thy power and goodness, and faithfulness.
Psalm 52 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
Verse 1
[1] Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
Continually — God is continually doing good: thou art continually doing mischief.
O mighty — He speaks ironically. O valiant captain! To kill a few weak and unarmed persons.
Verse 2
[2] Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
Deviseth — Expresses what thy wicked mind had devised.
Deceitfully — Doeg pretended only to vindicate himself from disloyalty, 1 Samuel 22:8, but he really intended to expose the priests, to the king's fury.
Verse 5
[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*/.
Pluck thee — Violently and suddenly as the Hebrew word signifies, from thy house and lands, and all the wages of thy righteousness.
Root — Though thou seemest to have taken deep root, yet God shall pluck thee up by the very roots, and destroy thee both root and branch.
Verse 6
[6] The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
Fear — Reverence God's just judgment.
Verse 8
[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.
The house — In God's church, or among his people.
Verse 9
[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.
Thou hast — Destroyed mine and thine implacable enemies, and established me in the throne, of which I am no less assured, than if it were already done. I will continue in thy way, placing my whole confidence in thy power and goodness, and faithfulness.
Before — In the presence of thy saints.