2 Thy tongue deviseth very wickedness, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
My soul is among lions; I lie among them that are set on fire, Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.
Behold, they belch out with their mouth; Swords are in their lips: For who, `say they', doth hear?
Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death;
but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
Then they suborned men, who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and `against' God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council, and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law:
Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
And they bend their tongue, `as it were' their bow, for falsehood; and they are grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah. Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders.
There is a generation whose teeth are `as' swords, and their jaw teeth `as' knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood; A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief, A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.
Deliver my soul, O Jehovah, from lying lips, `And' from a deceitful tongue.
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me: They have spoken unto me with a lying tongue.
Hide me from the secret counsel of evil-doers, From the tumult of the workers of iniquity; Who have whet their tongue like a sword, And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words, That they may shoot in secret places at the perfect: Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They encourage themselves in an evil purpose; They commune of laying snares privily; They say, Who will see them? They search out iniquities; We have accomplished, `say they', a diligent search: And the inward thought and the heart of every one is deep.
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, And thy tongue frameth deceit.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 52
Commentary on Psalms 52 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 52
Ps 52:1-9. Compare 1Sa 21:1-10; 22:1-10, for the history of the title. Ps 52:1 gives the theme; the boast of the wicked over the righteous is vain, for God constantly cares for His people. This is expanded by describing the malice and deceit, and then the ruin, of the wicked, and the happy state of the pious.
1. mighty man—literally, "hero." Doeg may be thus addressed, ironically, in respect of his might in slander.
2. tongue—for self.
mischiefs—evil to others (Ps 5:9; 38:12).
working deceitfully—(Ps 10:7), as a keen, smoothly moving razor, cutting quietly, but deeply.
4. all-devouring—literally, "swallowing," which utterly destroy (compare Ps 21:9; 35:25).
5. likewise—or, "so," "also," as you have done to others God will do to you (Ps 18:27). The following terms describe the most entire ruin.
6. shall … fear—regard with religious awe.
laugh at him—for his folly;
7. for trusting in riches and being strong in "wickedness."
wickedness—literally, "mischief" (Ps 52:2), instead of trusting in God.
the man—literally, "the mighty man," or "hero" (Ps 52:1).
8. The figure used is common (Ps 1:3; Jer 11:16).
green—fresh.
house, &c.—in communion with God (compare Ps 27:4, 5).
for ever and ever—qualifies "mercy."
9. hast done—that is, what the context supplies, "preserved me" (compare Ps 22:31).
wait … name—hope in Thy perfections, manifested for my good (Ps 5:11; 20:1).
for it is good—that is, Thy name, and the whole method or result of its manifestation (Ps 54:6; 69:16).