Psalms 52:1

_WHY BOASTEST THOU THYSELF IN MISCHIEF, O MIGHTY MAN? THE GOODNESS OF GOD ENDURETH CONTINUALLY._ Title. - WHEN DOEG THE EDOMITE CAME AND TOLD SAUL ... DAVID IS SOME TO ... AHIMELECH. David had just heard that Saul, on Doeg's information, caused 85 priests to be killed. It was virtually a 'boast' (Psalms 52:1) and threat of Saul that similar would be the fate of all who should aid David. To this David replies, Psalms 52:1, "Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?" Saul (not Doeg) represents the ideal wicked one, against whom this psalm is directed. Doeg told the fact, upon Saul's solemn charge to his servants. It was Saul who put the "lying" (Psalms 52:3) construction of high treason on it agai

1._Why boastest thou of thy wickedness? _The success which crowned the treachery of Doeg must have tended considerably to stagger David’s faith; and he seems to have adopted the strain of holy defiance with which the psalm commences, in order to arm himself more effectually against this temptation. He begins by charging Doeg with an aggravation of his guilt, in boasting of the power which he had acquired by an act of consummate villany. This power may have been sufficiently considerable to attract the notice which is here taken of it; for although he is only said to have been “master of the king’s herdsmen,” the designation does not imply that he was personally occupied in herding cattle, but may have been an honorary title; as in modern courts we speak of “The Master of the Horse.” he is reminded that there was no reason why he should applaud himself in his greatness, so long as he abus...

1-5 Those that glory in sin, glory in their shame. The patience and forbearance of God are abused by sinners, to the hardening of their hearts in their wicked ways. But the enemies in vain boast in their mischief, while we have God's mercy to trust in. It will not save us from the guilt of lying, to be able to say, there was some truth in what we said, if we make it appear otherwise than it was. The more there is of craft and contrivance in any wickedness, the more there is of Satan in it. When good men die, they are transplanted from the land of the living on earth, to heaven, the garden of the Lord, where they shall take root for ever; but when wicked men die, they are rooted out, to perish for ever. The believer sees that God will destroy those who make not him their strength....

PSALM LII _The psalmist points out the malevolence of a powerful enemy,_ _and predicts his destruction_, 1-5. _At which destruction the righteous should rejoice_, 6, 7. _The psalmist's confidence on God_, 8, 9. NOTES ON PSALM LII The _title_ is, "To the chief Musician, an instructive Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul, and said to him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech." The history to which this alludes is the following: David, having learned that Saul was determined to destroy him, went to take refuge with Achish, king of Gath: in his journey he passed by _Nob_, where the tabernacle then was, and took thence the sword of Gol

WHY BOASTEST THOU THYSELF IN MISCHIEF? - Why dost thou “exult” in that which is wrong? Why dost thou find pleasure in evil rather than in good? Why dost thou seek to triumph in the injury done to others? The reference is to one who prided himself on schemes and projects which tended to injure others; or who congratulated himself on the success which attended his efforts to wrong other people. O MIGHTY MAN - DeWette and Luther render this, “tyrant.” The original word would be properly applied to one of rank or distinction; a man of “power” - power derived either from office, from talent, or from wealth. It is a word which is often applied to a hero or warrior: Isaiah 3:2; Eze 39:20; 2 Samuel 17:10;...

EXPOSITION HERE, again, the title is the best guide to the origin, intent, and authorship of the psalm. It is ascribed to David, and said to have been written on the occasion when Doeg the Edomite acquainted Saul with the fact of David's visit to Ahimelech the priest, recorded in 1 Samuel 21:1. This information led to a fearful massacre, in which Doeg himself took the chief part (1 Samuel 22:11-9). The bitterness of feeling displayed in the psalm is thus accounted for. Metrically, the psalm seems to consist of three strophes, extending respectively to four, three, and two verses. In the first strophe Doeg's wickedness is set forth (1 Samuel 21:1); in the second ...

WHY BOASTEST THOU THYSELF IN MISCHIEF?.... Or "in evil" w; in that which is sinful; to glory in riches, wisdom, and strength, which are not in themselves evil, is wrong; and to rejoice in such boastings, all such rejoicing is evil; to be a doer of mischief, or sin, is bad; to make a sport of it, worse; but to glory in it, and boast of it when done, is worse still: to be boasters of evil things, is the character of antichrist and his followers, 2 Timothy 3:2; who not only boast of their merit, their good works, and works of supererogation, and of their riches, and honour, and grandeur, saying, "I sit as a queen", Revelation 18:7; but of their wickedness in shedding the blood of the saints, thinking thereby they do God good service, and merit heaven, and eternal happiness; as Doeg boasted of his slaughte

Psalms 52 The Proud and Boasting Man __ 1. The character of the man of sin (Psalms 52:1) 2. The character of the righteous (Psalms 52:8) The four Psalms which follow (all Maschil Psalms) give mostly a prophetic picture of the man of sin, the final Antichrist, the false messiah-king, under whom the godly in Israel will especially suffer. He is first described as the mighty man, the super-man, who boasts in evil. He is also a lying, deceitful man, “working deceitfully” and having a “deceitful tongue.” But God is going to deal with him, destroy him forever, take him away, pluck him out of his dwelling place, and out of the land of the living. He will be destroyed with the brightness of the Lord's com

LII. The Psalmist denounces an enemy of his who trusts in his wealth and in unscrupulous falsehood. He is confident that this adversary will be rooted up and that he himself will flourish and abide in the Temple. The reference to the Temple and the complete silence about the massacre of the priests shows that the title gives an impossible explanation of the Ps. PSALMS 52:1_ b_. Read, Against the godly man continually. Psalms 52:2. Translate O thou that workest deceitfully. But the text is probably corrupt. Psalms 52:5. Translate Shall snatch thee away and pluck thee up tentless. Psalms 52:7. w

TITLE. MASCHIL= Instruction. The fifth of thirteen so named. See note on Title, Psalms 32, and App-65. WHEN DOEG, &c. See notes on 1 Samuel 21:7; 1 Samuel 22:18. See note on _Mahalath,_ in sub-scription at end of Psalms 52:9. WHY BOASTEST... ? Relating to Doeg's treachery. MIGHTY MAN. Hebrew. _gibbor._ App-14. = tyrant; Septuagint. mighty lawless one. It is prophetic, and. type of Antichrist. GOODNESS. lovingkindness, or grace. GOD. Hebrew El. App-4. CONTINUALLY. all the day....