The big picture
Psalms 52 opens in verse 1 with “Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 5 with “God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of…”, and closes in verse 9 with “I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for…” Repeated or prominent terms include good, lovest, Selah, tongue, abundance. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 9Psalms 52:1-5
1–5: Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God…
Psalms 52:1–5 opens with “Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.” and reaches “God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by lovest, Selah, tongue.
Psalms 52:1-5
King James Version1Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
2Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
3Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
4Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
5God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.
Psalms 52:6-9
6–9: The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
Psalms 52:6–9 opens with “The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:” and reaches “I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by abundance, fear, good.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Psalms 52:6-9
King James Version6The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
7Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
8But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
9I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 52:1 begins with “Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 52:8 forms a natural hinge: “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.”
The final note
Psalms 52:9 leaves the reader with “I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words good, lovest, Selah, tongue, abundance, boastest help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.