Psalm 52 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Psalm 52 Short Summary:

When King Saul was trying to kill David, Doeg, one of Saul’s servants had a chance meeting with David at a place called Nob. Doeg reported David’s whereabouts to Saul and told Saul that the priests who lived at Nob gave him provisions. Saul was angry with the priests and ordered Doeg to kill all of them. Doeg killed 85 priests of the Lord and destroyed their city (1 Samuel 21-22). Psalm 52 is a condemnation of Doeg’s evil actions.

Psalm 52 Summary

AUTHOR:

• David wrote Psalm 52.

NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES:

• No Known New Testament References.

THEMES:

• Condemnation of Doeg, a servant of Saul.

• The righteous will flourish even in a world filled with violence.

DEFINITIONS:

• Selah (52:3) – This word appears over 70 times in the Psalms. Scholars have tried for years to discover the true meaning of the word, but it remains somewhat of a mystery. Some scholars think it’s a musical pause or a literary pause, calling on the reader to stop and ponder what was just stated.  Other scholars propose its meaning is related to worship, an expression of praise to God. Still others suggest it’s a literary device used by the ancients to mark themes that run through the text. The only other book in the Bible where “Selah” is found is the book of Habakkuk.

OUTLINE:

• *Context: When King Saul was trying to kill David, Doeg, one of Saul’s servants had a chance meeting with David at a place called Nob. Doeg reported David’s whereabouts to Saul and told Saul that the priests who lived at Nob gave him provisions. Saul was angry with the priests and ordered Doeg to kill all of them. Doeg killed 85 priests of the Lord and destroyed their city. Psalm 52 is a condemnation of Doeg’s evil actions.

  CONDEMNATION OF DOEG AND THE VICTORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS (52:1-9):

  • David asked, “Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?” (52:1).

  • David described Doeg as a man whose tongue plotted destruction, as a worker of deceit, as someone who loved evil more than good, and as someone who lied more than he spoke the truth.

  • Doeg’s wickedness wouldn’t go unpunished.

  • David wrote, “But God will break you down forever; He will snatch and tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living” (52:5).

  • This is followed by an expression of confidence that the righteous would be vindicated. God was their security against evil. David believed he would flourish “like a green olive tree” even though these violent men were after him.
    

APPLICATION:

• In previous chapters, we talked about psalms of condemnation (imprecatory psalms), and how these psalms can seem strange to modern believers.

• Aren’t we supposed to be praying for people to be saved, not for people to be destroyed?

• One thing to keep in mind is that these psalms of cursing are generally directed at very wicked people.

• These aren’t psalms calling for the death of the neighbors who don’t attend Sunday worship, or the destruction of your business colleague who cheats a little on his timecard, or the desolation of the salesmen who charged you more than he should have.

• These psalms are usually directed at people who are actively, intentionally, and consciously fighting against God and promoting evil on the earth. These are people who often know better but still prefer evil over good.

• Every person sins, that is clear from the Bible, but I do think there is a distinction to be made between the neighbors who don’t worship on Sunday and genuinely wicked people who promote terrible things on the earth, people that not only promote them but they champion them and fight for them.

• Their promotion of those things corrupts their own soul, but what is worse is that they delight when others join them in their evil. They evangelize their evil, hoping to make converts.

• Do you remember what Jesus said about those who lead others into sin? It was a rather imprecatory statement.

• “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin” (Luke 17:2).

• Do you remember what Paul said about those evangelizing false gospels?

• “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

• I wouldn’t encourage you to pray curses over your church skipping neighbors, but I think the Bible teaches us it is appropriate to pray for the downfall of the enemies of God who are actively working for the devil and are hell-bent on destroying others.