In The Word
Read: Psalms 52-54
Futility of Boastful Wickedness.
For the choir director. A Maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”
52 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.
2 Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.
4 You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever;
He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent,
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.
6 The righteous will see and fear,
And will laugh at him, saying,
7 “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches
And was strong in his evil desire.”
8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.
9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.
Folly and Wickedness of Men.
For the choir director; according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.
53 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,”
They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;
There is no one who does good.
2 God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there is anyone who understands,
Who seeks after God.
3 Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.
4 Have the workers of wickedness no knowledge,
Who eat up My people as though they ate bread
And have not called upon God?
5 There they were in great fear where no fear had been;
For God scattered the bones of him who encamped against you;
You put them to shame, because God had rejected them.
6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores His captive people,
Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Prayer for Defense against Enemies.
For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Is not David hiding himself among us?”
54 Save me, O God, by Your name,
And vindicate me by Your power.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers have risen against me
And violent men have sought my life;
They have not set God before them. Selah.
4 Behold, God is my helper;
The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.
5 He will recompense the evil to my foes;
Destroy them in Your faithfulness.
6 Willingly 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 all trouble,
And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Psalm 52 was written regarding Doeg the Edomite, who saw David visit Ahimelech, the priest, during the time that King Saul was trying to kill David (I Samuel 21-22). King Saul ordered Doeg to kill Ahimelech, along with everyone in his city, because Ahimelech allowed David to have consecrated bread and the sword of Goliath.
Psalm 54 was written regarding the Ziphites coming and saying to Saul, “Is not David hiding himself among us?”(I Samuel 23).
David was anointed to be the next king, but at this time he was waiting on God’s timing to assume the throne. He was King Saul’s faithful servant, his son-in-law, captain of the guard, and risking his life to protect King Saul and the people of Israel, including Doeg and the Ziphites who called Saul their king. David was living in a way that pleased God, but that did not mean it was easy. We should expect to be persecuted when we are truly living for Him (John 15:18-21).
When people reject God and make pleasing men and gaining riches their priority, the enemy can easily use them for his purposes. God uses people and so does the enemy (John 8:44). Doeg killed eighty-five priests. The Ziphites helped Saul surround and almost capture David. We should not be surprised if people betray us or let us down. Our faith and trust is in the One who sustains our soul and delivers us from all trouble. Thank Him for His faithfulness today!