Psalms 52:1 - Meaning and Application

The title gives a short account of the event this psalm refers to. David had finally found it necessary to leave Saul’s court and run for his life, because Saul had tried more than once to kill him. David had no weapons or supplies, so he used a plan to get Ahimelech the priest to give him both. Doeg, an Edomite, was there and later told Saul about Ahimelech, making him sound like a traitor’s ally. Saul then gave a very bloody order to kill all the priests, and Doeg carried it out (1 Samuel 22:9 and following).

In these verses, David first argues his case against this proud and powerful man, in verse 1. Doeg was likely strong in body, but he earned no honor by overpowering the unarmed priests of the Lord. It is no credit to sword-bearers to bully men who wear the ephod, the priestly garment. He was also a “mighty man” because of his office, since he was set over Saul’s servants, like a chamberlain over the household. This was the man who bragged, not only about the harm he could do, but about the harm he had done.

It is bad to do evil, but worse to boast about it afterward. It is bad enough not to be ashamed of a wicked act, but worse still to defend it, and worse again to glory in it and take pride in it. People who glory in their sin are glorying in their shame, and that makes the shame even greater. Strong men are often harmful men, and they brag about what their hearts want to do (Psalm 10:3).

The next words are harder to place: “The goodness of God endures continually.” Some take this as the wicked man’s own answer to the question. Sinners often abuse God’s patience and kindness, which are great signs of his goodness. Because punishment does not come quickly, and because God keeps doing them good, they grow bolder in evil, as if their success proved there was no harm in what they did.

It is better to read the words as an argument against him. First, they show the sinfulness of his conduct. God is always doing good, and those who are like him should take joy in that. But Doeg was always doing harm, which made him unlike God and against him, even while he boasted. Second, they show the folly of his conduct. He thought that by the mischief he had so cleverly planned and so successfully carried out, he would bring down the people of God. But he was wrong. The goodness of God lasts forever for their protection, so they do not need to fear what man can do to them. Enemies may boast in their evil plans, but God’s mercy is stronger.

David then brings a serious charge against Doeg before the court of heaven, as Doeg had brought a charge against Ahimelech before Saul’s court, in verses 2 to 4. He accuses him of the sin of his tongue, which was a sign of the sin in his heart. The tongue is an uncontrolled evil, full of deadly poison. David names four things.

First, malice. His tongue did harm, not just like a needle that pricks, but like a sharp razor that cuts. Plain rude words would not satisfy him. He loved words that would destroy the priests of the Lord, whom he hated.

Second, falsehood. His tongue was deceitful in the harm it did (Psalm 52:4). He loved lying (Psalm 52:3), and that sharp razor worked deceitfully (Psalm 52:2). Before this chance came to show his hatred of the priests, he had likely acted very respectfully toward them. Though he was an Edomite, he attended the altar and brought offerings, and he behaved as decently as any Israelite. He likely did this under some pressure, since he was detained before the Lord, but it gave him a chance to do them even greater harm. Or David may be speaking of the report itself that Doeg gave against Ahimelech. The facts were mostly true, but they were twisted, and false colors were put on them, so he could rightly be said to love lying and to have a deceitful tongue. He told the truth, but not the whole truth, as a witness should. If he had said that David had made Ahimelech believe he was on Saul’s business, Ahimelech’s kindness would have appeared as respect, not treason. We do not escape the guilt of lying just by saying there was some truth in what we said, if we twist that truth and make it seem different from what it was.

Third, subtlety in sin. “Your tongue devises mischief,” meaning it speaks out the evil that the heart has planned. The more craft and planning there is in wickedness, the more of the devil there is in it.

Fourth, love of sin. “You love evil more than good” means he loved evil and had no real love for what is good. He took pleasure in lying and did not care about doing what was right. He would rather please Saul by telling a lie than please God by speaking truth. Those have Doeg’s spirit who, instead of being glad for a chance to help someone in body, property, or reputation, are glad for a chance to hurt him. That is what it means to love evil more than good. It is bad to speak harmful words, but it is worse to love them in others or in ourselves.

David then announces God’s judgment against him in verse 5: “You have destroyed the priests of the Lord and cut them off, and therefore God will also destroy you forever.” Those who bring ruin on others will themselves be ruined, like Judas and the man of lawlessness. Destroyers will be destroyed. This is especially true of those who hate, persecute, and destroy the priests of the Lord, his ministers and people, who are made priests to our God, a royal priesthood. They will be taken away with swift and lasting destruction.

Doeg is condemned here, first, to be driven out of the church. “He will pluck you out of the tabernacle” most likely means God’s dwelling, not Doeg’s. That is, Doeg would be cut off from God’s favor, his presence, and all fellowship with him, with no benefit from either God’s word or his sacrifices. It was fair that he lost the privileges of God’s house, since he had been so harmful to God’s servants. He had come at times to God’s tabernacle and attended in its courts, but he was only there because he was held there. He was tired of serving, and looked for a chance to slander God’s household. It was fitting, then, that he should be taken away and plucked out. We would not allow someone to remain in our home if he treated us that way. We forfeit the blessing of God’s ordinances if we make a bad use of them.

To be driven out of the world means this: “He will root you out of the land of the living, where you thought you were so firmly planted.” When good people die, they are moved from the land of the living on earth, which is like a nursery for the plants of righteousness, to heaven, the Lord’s garden, where they will take root forever. But when wicked people die, they are uprooted from the land of the living and will perish forever, like fuel for the fire of God’s wrath. This will be the fate of those who fight against God.