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Psalm 52

Judgement on the Deceitful

To the leader. A Maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came to Saul and said to him, ‘David has come to the house of Ahimelech.’
¹ Why do you boast, O mighty one,
   of mischief done against the godly?^*
   All day long ²you are plotting destruction.
Your tongue is like a sharp razor,
   you worker of treachery.
³ You love evil more than good,
   and lying more than speaking the truth.
          Selah
⁴ You love all words that devour,
   O deceitful tongue.

⁵ But God will break you down for ever;
   he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
   he will uproot you from the land of the living.
          Selah
⁶ The righteous will see, and fear,
   and will laugh at the evildoer,^* saying,
⁷ ‘See the one who would not take
   refuge in God,
but trusted in abundant riches,
   and sought refuge in wealth!’^*

⁸ But I am like a green olive tree
   in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
   for ever and ever.
⁹ I will thank you for ever,
   because of what you have done.
In the presence of the faithful
   I will proclaim^* your name, for it is good.

Psalm 53

Denunciation of Godlessness

To the leader: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.
¹ Fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’
   They are corrupt, they commit abominable acts;
   there is no one who does good.

² God looks down from heaven on humankind
   to see if there are any who are wise,
   who seek after God.

³ They have all fallen away, they are all alike perverse;
   there is no one who does good,
   no, not one.

⁴ Have they no knowledge, those evildoers,
   who eat up my people as they eat bread,
   and do not call upon God?

⁵ There they shall be in great terror,
   in terror such as has not been.
For God will scatter the bones of the ungodly;^*
   they will be put to shame,^* for God has rejected them.

⁶ O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
   When God restores the fortunes of his people,
   Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Psalm 54

Prayer for Vindication

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, ‘David is in hiding among us.’
¹ Save me, O God, by your name,
   and vindicate me by your might.
² Hear my prayer, O God;
   give ear to the words of my mouth.

³ For the insolent have risen against me,
   the ruthless seek my life;
   they do not set God before them.
          Selah

⁴ But surely, God is my helper;
   the Lord is the upholder of^* my life.
⁵ He will repay my enemies for their evil.
   In your faithfulness, put an end to them.

⁶ With a freewill-offering I will sacrifice to you;
   I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
⁷ For he has delivered me from every trouble,
   and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.