Psalm 52 – Why Boast of Evil
Who is the evil one mentioned in Psalm 52? These people who boast about their evil deeds? In Psalm 52 – why boast of evil, the author paints a broad picture of these individuals.
Psalm 52
Psalm 52 – why boast of evil, the psalm asks.
“Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?” (1)
The writer goes on to describe his evil deeds.
“You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor.
You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue!” (2-4)
He goes on to say what God will do to these people.
“Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.” (5)
Then the righteous will laugh at the sinner, for they trust in wealth, not God.
“The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at you, saying,
“Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!” (5-7)
The psalm ends with the words of the righteous.
“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.
For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.” (8-9)
Doeg – the Evil One – 1 Samuel 22
The superscription to Psalm 52 – why boast of evil, tells it all – “To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of David when Doeg the Edomite went and told Saul, and said to him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”
This refers to an event that is related in 1 Samuel 22. David is on the run from Saul. He goes to the priest Ahimelech and lies, telling the priest he is on a secret mission for the king. Ahimelech provides him with food and the sword of Goliath. Doeg, Saul’s chief shepherd, happens to be there and witnesses this. He tells king Saul, leaving out the part about David’s lie. Saul sent for Ahimelech and all of the men of his family. When King Saul orders his guards to kill them, they refuse to touch the priests of the Lord.
“The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.” (18-19) A terrible act of revenge on innocent people, ordered by the unstable king Saul.
Boasting about Evil
According to Psalm 52, Doeg boasts about his deeds. What does it mean to boast? Webster tell us: “a statement expressing excessive pride in oneself: the act or an instance of boasting, brag.”
As one commentary states: “Sometimes boasting is a cover for deep insecurity. That wasn’t the case with Doeg. He really thought quite highly of himself. “The thought conveyed in this Hebrew word is not necessarily that of a person strutting around making extravagant claims to others about his or her abilities. Rather it is that of a smug self-sufficiency that does not parade itself openly simply because it is so convinced of its superiority.” (Boice) Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 52
The first line of Psalm 52 – why boast of evil, refers to Doeg as a “mighty one.” Doeg slaughtered 85 priests with no training in warfare. As one commentator states: “O mighty man! he speaks ironically. O valiant captain! O glorious action! to kill a few weak and unarmed persons in the king’s presence, and under the protection of his guards! Surely thy name will be famous to all ages for such heroical courage.” (Poole) Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 52
It’s interesting to note that in 1 Samuel 22, the only person who didn’t lie was Ahimelech, who was slaughtered along with the other priests.
The Response of the Righteous
David firmly believed that God’s way would prevail, good would overcome evil. That God would destroy the evil one, in this case Doeg, forever (5).
He states that the righteous will see this and learn from it and laugh in derision, verses 6-7 tell us. “It is the righteous who learn from Doeg’s judgment. We might have wished it were the wicked. “But this is the tragedy of life, that its teachings are prized most by those who have already learned them, and that those who need them most consider them least.” (Maclaren) Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 52
Laughing at him in derision may seem unchristian to some however, as another commentator says: “It is easy for those who have never lived under grinding, godless tyranny to reprobate the exultation of the oppressed at the sweeping away of their oppressors; but if the critics had seen their brethren set up as torches to light Nero’s gardens, perhaps they would have known some thrill of righteous joy when they heard that he was dead.” (Maclaren) Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 52
This brought to my mind the many people living under oppression, such as the people of the Ukraine who are suffering under the attack of Russia. Can we blame them if they were to laugh at the downfall of their oppressors?
Superscriptions – Are They Part of God’s Word?
Some commentators reject this connection to 1 Samuel 22:6-23 found in the superscription, attributing it to a later addition. “The attempt in the superscription to connect the psalm with the incident in 1 Samuel 22:6-23 is not only inappropriate, but groundless because of the mention of the temple (8).” (interpreter’s Bible, Volume IV)
There has been a long tradition among Scripture scholars, from 1890 to 1990, to disregard superscriptions as nonessential additions. However, since then more scholars support the importance of these add-ons as part of God’s word. They are found in the earliest copies of the Bible. While they may have been added onto the original psalm long after it was first recorded, they speak about the tradition around the psalm, thereby providing important information.
As for me, adding the historical context adds another nuance to how to interpret the psalms. This can be helpful. I also find it helpful to look at the psalm without the historical context as that can open up new ways of hearing God speak. Such is the richness of the Psalms.
Wherever you stand on this issue, it is worth looking at Doeg as a concrete example of the evil one.
What Do You Think About?
It’s been said, as you think, so you will become. What do the evil ones spend their time thinking about? Psalm 52 – why boast of evil, tells us they spend their days plotting destruction. They love evil more than good and spend their days growing wealth and destroying. And so, they become as they think. Evil. How sad is that?
What do you think about? How do you occupy your time? Do you spend it on the things of this world, or God? Vengeance or forgiveness? Acquiring wealth or relationships and helping others? As you spend your time, so you will become.
If all I ever thought of was about winning, vengeance, and amassing a fortune, how sad. Certainly, I need to be compassionate for such people. Victory in this life is fleeting. They are spending their time on something that doesn’t last, doesn’t truly satisfy. What a sad life they have.
While I appreciate that good will prevail over evil, that doesn’t change the fact that innocent men, women, and children were slaughtered. It doesn’t change the immense suffering caused by these evil people. Is it all right because in the end evil will lose? I find that hard to accept.
Sure, Doeg will die, as do all people. Hitler died. The perpetrators of pogroms and genocide will die as well. But what of all of the suffering that they leave behind them? What of all of the innocent lives taken before their time? I continue to wrestle with these questions.
Psalm 52 – Why Boast of Evil
Part of the beauty and richness of the Psalms is that there are so many different ways to hear God speak through these words. Also, that we don’t get answers to all of our questions. All the more reason to keep praying, keep asking.
Why does evil seem to prevail in this life? Why do the innocent suffer? Some even boast about their evil deeds. Why? Psalm 52 – why boast of evil, asks this and more. There is so much I do not understand. I doubt I will ever understand. And yet I keep praying. I keep believing in a God who is good, whose mercy and steadfast love knows no limit.
What do you think about all of this? I would love to hear your thoughts, your questions. Some questions have no answers, and that’s okay.
(For another take on this psalm, see Psalm 52: Seeking the Truth – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and and receive a free copy of Still Dancing, the second book in my Dancing through Life Series. click here to sign up
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