#732 Psalm 52 Forked

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
Why do you boast all day long,
you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
2 You who practice deceit,
your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor.
3 You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
4 You love every harmful word,
you deceitful tongue!


5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living.
6 The righteous will see and fear;
they will laugh at you, saying,
7 “Here now is the man
who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
and grew strong by destroying others!”


8 But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever.
9 For what you have done I will always praise you
in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
for your name is good. Psalm 52 NIV

This is a song reflecting on the time when Doeg the Edomite went and told of David being at the house of Ahimelech. David received help from the priest of the tabernacle, and Doeg, like the jackals call the lion to another's food, runs to fill Saul's ear with mischief. Since we have a descriptive title we can go back to the history surrounding the account.

1 Samuel 21

Doeg's words 1 Samuel 22

Why do you boast, you mighty hero - I get a hint of sarcasm here, one of my favorite languages, and what a hero indeed. His boast is in the power of his words and mischief, that his tongue has brought out the king. The others would not obey the words of Saul, but Doeg happily massacres the priest. Some men speak well of tyrants, even tyrants have their yelping dogs, whom they pat upon the head. You killed a bunch of untrained and unarmed men, you are like the man who kills a beast inside a cage and then mounts it on his wall, the mighty hunter.

You who are a disgrace in the eyes of God - Those priest did not belong to Saul, Saul has crossed over the boundary of separation between church and state. God has rejected Saul, but Saul does not take correction, and so he lifts himself up, and tries to come in another way. Eliminate God's chosen. Doeg sees Saul as his protection, for though God has promised another, Saul is the power that Doeg now sees before him. Who cares what the king thinks of you if you are a disgrace to God?

Your tongue plots destruction - This is a sure sign to all of us that we are not trusting in God when our tongues are plotting evil, when we gossip and stir the pot of animosity.

8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!…James 3: 8-10

You love every harmful word - I have slowly learned over the years that one must be carful of their audience. It is a painful lesson that follows when we speak about a man to one who envies or hates him. What you may take as a laugh or done at the end of the conversation, he may take as ammo and continue with it to the others demise. With Doeg this is no mistake, he loves evil and hates good. Saul hates David and so he will hate those who help him. 

9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. 11He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.…1 Peter 3:9-11

The righteous will see and fear - The righteous will contemplate the end of such things, that God is not mocked, but the wicked will continue in deceit. It will not bother the seared conscience for more than a minute, as the dog returns to his vomit, so the fool to his folly.

Shall laugh at him: “It is easy for those who have never lived under grinding, godless tyranny to reprobate the exultation of the oppressed at the sweeping away of their oppressors; but if the critics had seen their brethren set up as torches to light Nero’s gardens, perhaps they would have known some thrill of righteous joy when they heard that he was dead.” (Maclaren)

Grew strong by destroying others - I have watched this for a long time now in the corporate world. Men suck up to power and wealth, and present those they see as competition as an enemy to those in power. They make grave errors and place the blame on others, even those who have shown them mercy. Kissing up to Saul puts Doeg in good position with the one who is in power and those alliances men see as a way to wealth, everyone else is collateral damage. Doeg thinks so highly of himself, and this is a good lesson for the one that God has chosen to take Saul's place, some will approach you solely for your position. What relationship can do more to advance me then to be close to the king, the President, emperor or CEO? Doeg only trusted in what he saw in front of him, faith looks to the promise of God. Integrity will always choose truth over title, mercy over sacrifice.

Trust in God's unfailing love - David's hope is in God's promise, and he has failed before the priest, lying that he was there on an errand, but not lying to destroy someone else. He sinned for sure, since there is no lie that God finds acceptable, and he has learned as well, for he knew the character of the Edomite, that he would run to Saul.

21And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. 22Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite was there that day, and that he was sure to tell Saul. I myself am responsible for the lives of everyone in your father’s house. 23Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks your life is seeking mine as well. You will be safe with me.”…1 Samuel 22: 21-23

I will hope in your name -

11He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” 13When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.…Acts 4: 11-13