Psalms

Psalm 52:1–4

¹For the choirmaster. A Maskil^a of David. After Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?

The loving devotion of God endures all day long.

²Your tongue devises destruction

like a sharpened razor,

O worker of deceit.

³You love evil more than good,

falsehood more than speaking truth.

Selah

⁴You love every word that devours,

O deceitful tongue.

Footnotes

a 52:1 Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Read all of Psalm 52

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 52:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
A Maskil	מַשְׂכִּ֥יל	maś·kîl	Noun - masculine singular	H4905 contemplative poem
of David	לְדָוִֽד׃	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
After Doeg	דּוֹאֵ֣ג	dō·w·’êḡ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1673 Doeg
the Edomite	הָאֲדֹמִי֮	hā·’ă·ḏō·mî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H130 Edomite
went	בְּב֤וֹא׀	bə·ḇō·w	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to Saul	לְשָׁ֫א֥וּל	lə·šā·’ūl	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
and told	וַיַּגֵּ֪ד	way·yag·gêḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
him	ל֑וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
David	דָ֝וִ֗ד	ḏā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
has gone	בָּ֥א	bā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the house	בֵּ֥ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of Ahimelech	אֲחִימֶֽלֶךְ׃	’ă·ḥî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H288 Achimelek
Why	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
do you boast	תִּתְהַלֵּ֣ל	tiṯ·hal·lêl	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H1984 shine
of evil	בְּ֭רָעָה	bə·rā·‘āh	Preposition-b; Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
O mighty man	הַגִּבּ֑וֹר	hag·gib·bō·wr	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H1368 strong, mighty
The loving devotion	חֶ֥סֶד	ḥe·seḏ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2617 goodness, kindness
of God	אֵ֝֗ל	’êl	Noun - masculine singular	H410 god
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
day long	הַיּֽוֹם׃	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day

Psalm 52:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Your tongue	לְשׁוֹנֶ֑ךָ	lə·šō·w·ne·ḵā	Noun - common singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3956 tongue
devises	תַּחְשֹׁ֣ב	taḥ·šōḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H2803 think, account
destruction	הַ֭וּוֹת	haw·wō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H1942 desire
like a sharpened	מְ֝לֻטָּ֗שׁ	mə·luṭ·ṭāš	Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular	H3913 hammer, sharpen, whet
razor	כְּתַ֥עַר	kə·ṯa·‘ar	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H8593 razor, sheath
O worker	עֹשֵׂ֥ה	‘ō·śêh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct	H6213 do, make
of deceit	רְמִיָּֽה׃	rə·mî·yāh	Noun - feminine singular	H7423 deceit, treachery

Psalm 52:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You love	אָהַ֣בְתָּ	’ā·haḇ·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H157 love
evil	רָּ֣ע	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
more than good	מִטּ֑וֹב	miṭ·ṭō·wḇ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
falsehood	שֶׁ֓קֶר׀	še·qer	Noun - masculine singular	H8267 deception, disappointment, falsehood
more than speaking	מִדַּבֵּ֖ר	mid·dab·bêr	Preposition-m; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1696 speak
truth	צֶ֣דֶק	ṣe·ḏeq	Noun - masculine singular	H6664 rightness, righteousness
Selah	סֶֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up

Psalm 52:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You love	אָהַ֥בְתָּ	’ā·haḇ·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H157 love
every	כָֽל־	ḵāl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
word	דִּבְרֵי־	diḇ·rê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
that devours	בָ֗לַע	ḇā·la‘	Noun - masculine singular	H1105 swallowing, devouring, thing swallowed
O deceitful	מִרְמָֽה׃	mir·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H4820 deceit, treachery
tongue	לְשׁ֣וֹן	lə·šō·wn	Noun - common singular construct	H3956 tongue