November 1stPsalm #52
God's faithful love forever and always
David wrote this psalm in a fit of righteous anger. Doeg (see 1 Samuel 21.1-9) was one of Saul’s advisors schemed to promote himself by currying favour with the king. Here is a politician wanting to gain power and wealth even if it is at the expense of truth and justice. There has always been evil in high places and God’s people must learn wisdom to learn how to respond.
52.1-4 – Sinners Boast
Hey, powerful person!
Why do you brag about evil?
God’s faithful love lasts all day long.
2 Your tongue devises destruction:
it’s like a sharpened razor, causing deception.
3 You love evil more than good;
you love lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all destructive words;
you love the deceiving tongue.
David’s words are addressed to a ‘powerful one’ who intends to practice his wicked ways on the psalmist. The wicked plot destruction; they use words to perpetrate their evil intent.
These words could be the words of the faithful but threatened people in a variety of times and places. (see below for story on Chinese Cardinal Zen).
52.5-7 – ‘God will take you down’
5 But God will take you down permanently;
he will snatch you up,
tear you out of your tent,
and uproot you from the land of the living! Selah
6 The righteous will see and be in awe;
they will laugh at those people:
7 “Look at them! They didn’t make God their refuge.
Instead, they trusted in their own great wealth.
They sought refuge in it—to their own destruction!”
[they grew strong by destroying others].
Verse 5 is the central verse of the psalm and marks a turning point in David’s contemplation of Doeg’s evil. He is confident that God will judge all who follow an evil philosophy of life. Note the powerful verbs: ‘take you down…snatch you up…tear you away…uproot you.’ Evil sows the seeds of its own destruction.
52.8-9 – ‘I trust in God’s faithful love’
8 But I am like a green olive tree in God’s house;
I trust in God’s faithful love forever and always.
9 I will give thanks to you, God, forever,
because you have acted.
In your name I will hope, for your name is good.
I will praise you in the presence of your faithful people.
The psalmist’s life is firmly rooted in God’s love. In explicit contrast to the ‘mighty ones’ the life of the righteous is characterized by trust and gratitude. Their lives flourish in fruitful and beautiful ways. David’s relationship with others involves not exploitation but witness.
When God acts to deliver we are compelled to announce this good news to the community publicly for their encouragement.
One faithful voice is Cardinal Joseph Zen of China. He will stand trial on Sept. 19, 2022, in Hong Kong for his role as a trustee of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. This organization paid legal fees and medical bills for Hong Kongers protesting the Extradition Law Amendment Bill. This 2019 legislation would have allowed extradition to the People’s Republic of China.
A retired bishop of the Hong Kong Diocese, Cardinal Zen has long supported Hong Kong protesters, critiqued Beijing and criticized the Vatican’s rapprochement with the Chinese Communist Party. Chinese Catholics see the arrest as an attempt to intimidate and prevent activism among Hong Kong’s Catholic community.
*NOTE: This psalm is virtually identical to Psalm 14. See comments there.
We will continue next week with Psalm 54.