PSALM 52
THE FALL OF THE PROUD

This psalm pictures the rise and fall of a proud man who had no respect for people nor any regard for truth in word or action. The heading added later to the psalm linked it with the action of Doeg the Edomite of whom we read in 1 Samuel chapters 21 and 22. He is spoken of there as "in charge of all Saul's servants", and when Saul, without reason was seeking the life of David, Doeg told him that he had gone to the sanctuary at Nob, and as a result Saul told Doeg to kill all the priests of the Lord in the sanctuary. But what this Psalm says could apply to many another boasting "mighty one" of whom we read in the Bible - like Shebna, Pashhur, Hananiah and Herod (see the references below under the first study question) - and many powerful oppressors in the world in every generation.

The boaster revealed (verses 1-4)

Verse 1 describes the person about whom this psalm is written as a "mighty one". So he thought of himself. He boasted in his power over others, and no doubt also in the riches that he had gained for himself (verse 7). The psalmist said, "Why do you boast?" 'What do you really have to boast about? Think what you are doing. You plot to destroy people. You do evil against those who serve God. You do harm with your tongue. You try to deceive people by the words that you speak. While the law says that you should love God with your heart and soul and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself, "You love evil more than good ---- You love all words that devour". "Why do you boast?" Do you think that you can go on like that forever, and that nothing will happen to stop you?'

" But God ----" (verses 5-7)

The proud "mighty one" thinks that he can do and say what he likes and get away with it. "But God" has the last word. There are three things that the psalmist says that God will do. "God will break you down", like a house is broken down in a great storm. "He will snatch and tear you from your tent", and you will no longer be able to live in peace and have a position of power."He will uproot you", as a great tree is uprooted (see Psalm 37:35-36) and that is the end of its life.

The righteous see the fall of the proud, and have a feeling of fear and awe. They also have reason to "laugh at the evildoer" (verse 6 and see Job 22:19-20). It is never right to rejoice over the fall of an enemy (see Proverbs 24:17-18), and Jesus teaches us to seek the conversion rather than the judgment of even the worst of sinners and oppressors. Yet it is understandable that people of faith feel both awe and thankfulness when they see the fall of unrepentant oppressors, or murderous dictators, such as Hitler or Idi Amin, who have caused the suffering and death of countless people. Such people have refused to "take refuge in God", and instead have foolishly trusted in riches and worldly power (see the study on Psalm 49).

" But I -----" (verses 8-9)

What the psalmist sees of the power and then the humbling of the proud leads to a determination for his or her own life, not to be like a great tree uprooted, but "like a green olive tree in the house of God". The olive was and still is one of the best loved trees of Palestine. It is an evergreen tree, and it can live for hundreds of years and still bear fruit. In Bible times that fruit was used for food, and the oil from it was used for fat in cooking, for soap, for ointments and for lamps. Israel as a people was intended to be as "a green olive tree, fair with goodly fruit" (Jeremiah 11:16). The individual member of the people of God should want to be like that too (see also Psalm 1:3), and to "trust in the steadfast love of God forever". We should be able to say, expressing our heart's desire, "I will thank you forever because of what you have done", and "I will proclaim your name, for it is good."

Meditation: Use Psalm 1:1-3 as a meditation on the theme of this Psalm.

For further thought and study

a. Consider some biblical illustrations of proud "mighty ones" whose power and then whose fall this Psalm speaks of: Shebna (Isaiah 22:15-19), Pashhur (Jeremiah 20:1-6), Hananiah (Jeremiah 28), and Herod (Acts 12).

b. In view of what this psalm says about the power of the tongue to do evil, as a "sharp razor" and the source of deceit, compare Psalm 50:19, 55:21, 57:4, 64:3, and then read from the New Testament James 3, and consider the power of the tongue also to bring help and blessing to others. Note Proverbs 12:18.

Notes

1. There is a difficulty in the translation of the Hebrew of verse 1. The Good News Bible "God's love is eternal" is nearer to the Hebrew, but it is thought that the order of two Hebrew words may have been changed, and if so, that would give the quite different translation in our Version, "mischief done against the godly".
2. In verse 1 the Hebrew word for "mighty one" is gibbor , and a similar word geber is used in verse 7, but this means just an ordinary person. The "mighty one" is mighty no longer when God acts in judgement.
3. The New International Version in verse 9 has "in your name I will hope", and the word used for 'hope' is often translated "wait". We have seen how the "name" of God speaks of God as he is, made known through his word. So to hope in God's name or to wait on God's name speaks of sincere trust in God himself. Our translation "I will proclaim your name" is based on making a small change in the Hebrew that is translated.