Psalms 52 (KJV)

Chapter Text

52:1 Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.

52:2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

52:3 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

52:4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.

52:5 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.

52:6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

52:7 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.

52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

52:9 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "mercy", "boastest", "thou", "thyself", "mischief", "mighty", "goodness", and "endureth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "mercy" and "boastest", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local KJV text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "mercy" and "boastest" carries the first interpretive weight. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "mercy" and "boastest" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.