לַמְנַצֵּחַ מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד׃   52:1

Psal. 52:1   A poem of David's for the leader,

בְּבוֹא דּוֹאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי וַיַּגֵּד לְשָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בָּא דָוִד אֶל־בֵּית אֲחִימֶלֶךְ׃   52:2

Psal. 52:2   on the coming of Doeg, the Edomite, when he told to Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech:”

There seems to be only one point of uncertainty concerning this psalm, whether the person described in it is Doeg or some other rich and influential individual.  In a previous depiction of the person named Doeg in 1Samual (Chapters 21 and 22), he might not quite fit the picture given here.  But the bible often omits details not particularly pertinent for the scribe.  Also, in 1Sam. 22:18, Doeg is described as having fallen upon and killed eighty-five priests whom Saul thought were allied with David.  Yet the uncertainty remains.  But my suspicion is that the subject of this psalm is Doeg.

מַה־תִּתְהַלֵּל בְּרָעָה הַגִּבּוֹר חֶסֶד אֵל כָּל־הַיּוֹם׃   52:3

Psal. 52:3   Why should you, such a mighty man, boast about evil?

                              The mercy of God is constant.

In other words, this evil man will experience the consequences of his actions and thoughts, one way or another, sooner or later, in God’s own time.

הַוּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁב לְשׁוֹנֶךָ כְּתַעַר מְלֻטָּשׁ עֹשֵׂה רְמִיָּה׃   52:4

Psal. 52:4   Your tongue must devise destruction,

                               treachery works like a sharpened razor.

אָהַבְתָּ רָּע מִטּוֹב שֶׁקֶר מִדַּבֵּר צֶדֶק סֶלָה׃   52:5

Psal. 52:5   You love evil more than good,

                               falsehood more than speaking righteousness.            Selah.

Here is an exception to my theory.  See Psal. 3:3.

אָהַבְתָּ כָל־דִּבְרֵי־בָלַע לְשׁוֹן מִרְמָה׃   52:6

Psal. 52:6   You love devouring all words of a deceitful tongue.

גַּם־אֵל יִתָּצְךָ לָנֶצַח יַחְתְּךָ וְיִסָּחֲךָ מֵאֹהֶל וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךָ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים סֶלָה׃   52:7

Psal. 52:7   God will even break you down forever;

                              He will snatch you up and tear you away from the tent,

                      and uproot you from the land of the living.            Selah.

וְיִרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים וְיִירָאוּ וְעָלָיו יִשְׂחָקוּ׃   52:8

Psal. 52:8   When righteous ones shall see,

                               then they shall be in awe and laugh at him.

הִנֵּה הַגֶּבֶר לֹא יָשִׂים אֱלֹהִים מָעוּזּוֹ וַיִּבְטַח בְּרֹב עָשְׁרוֹ יָעֹז בְּהַוָּתוֹ׃   52:9

Psal. 52:9   Behold, this man would not make God his refuge,

                               but he would trust in the abundance of his riches;

                      he would find strength in his wicked desire.

וַאֲנִי כְּזַיִת רַעֲנָן בְּבֵית אֱלֹהִים בָּטַחְתִּי בְחֶסֶד־אֱלֹהִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד׃   52:10

Psal. 52:10   Whereas I am like a luxuriant olive tree in the house of God;

                                I trust in the mercy of God ever and forever.

אוֹדְךָ לְעוֹלָם כִּי עָשִׂיתָ וַאֲקַוֶּה שִׁמְךָ כִי־טוֹב נֶגֶד חֲסִידֶיךָ׃   52:11

Psal. 52:11   I will give thanks to You forever, for You act;

                                so I will wait for Your name,

                       for good is what is obvious to Your pious ones.

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