Psalms 52 · The Lantern

Why boastest thou thyself, thou tyrant: that thou canst do mischief;

The 33rd Psalm was spoken by David when he "changed his countenance before Abimelech, and he sent him away, and he left." The current Psalm would be the one following that Psalm in historical sequence.

"Why doth he glory in malice that is mighty?" (ver. 1). Observe, my brethren, the glorying of malignity, the glorying of evil men. Where is glorying? "Why doth he glory in malice that is mighty?" That is, he that in malice is mighty, why doth he glory? There is need that a man be mighty, but in goodness, not in malice. Is it any great thing to glory in malice?

Here begins the second group of fifty. And as was said at the beginning of the book, the first fifty pertains to the penitent; this second fifty pertains to those who are making progress.

Whereas the goodness of God: endureth yet daily?

Thy tongue imagineth wickedness: and with lies thou cuttest like a sharp rasor.

Thou hast loved unrighteousness more than goodness: and to talk of lies more than righteousness.

The old confusion of tongues was beneficial when people, who were of one language in wickedness and impiety, just as some still are, were building the tower. But by the confusion of their language, the unity of their intention was broken up and their undertaking destroyed. Much more worthy of praise is the present miraculous unity of language [at Pentecost].

"You have loved malice above benignity" [Psalm 52:4]. Before you was benignity; herself you should have loved. For you were not going to expend anything, nor were you going to fetch something to love by a distant voyage. Benignity is before you, iniquity before you: compare and choose.

As to internal matters, he says, "You have loved all words of ruin," drawing others into death, as Doeg did; and again into the evil of guilt: 1 Cor. 15: "Evil conversations corrupt good morals." Or, precipitating yourself; and therefore he says, "with a deceitful tongue." And you who are talkative and deceitful, or you do this through a deceitful tongue: Jer.

Thou hast loved to speak all words that may do hurt: O thou false tongue.

And he will scrape you away from the tent, and will uproot you from the land of the living forever—so that the righteous, when they see it, will be afraid and will mock him, saying, "Look!

Because of this there follows in the Psalm, "You have loved all words of sinking under" [Psalm 52:5]. Rescue therefore yourself, if you can, from sinking under. From shipwreck you are fleeing, and dost embrace lead! If you will not sink, catch at a plank, be borne on wood, let the Cross carry you through.

"Therefore." Above, the Psalmist treated of the malice of sinners; here, however, he treats of their punishment: and concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth the punishment of those wicked ones. Second he shows the usefulness of their punishment, at "The just shall see." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the punishment of the wicked.

Therefore shall God destroy thee for ever: he shall take thee, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling, and root thee out of the land of the living.

The righteous also shall see this, and fear: and shall laugh him to scorn;

And this was said as though to Doeg, who was a Syrian by descent, but lived in the midst of Israel—and, I suppose, perhaps even entered the tabernacle of God along with the multitude, pretending to be pious.

"And the just shall see, and shall fear; and over him they shall laugh" (ver. 7). Shall fear when? Shall laugh when? Let us therefore understand, and make a distinction between those two times of fearing and laughing, which have their several uses. For so long as we are in this world, not yet must we laugh, lest hereafter we mourn.

Their pride, because they did not hope in God but trusted in themselves, and they shall say: the just shall say, "Behold the man who did not set God as his helper," that is, did not consider that he needed the help of God: Ps. 11: "Our lips," etc. Deut.

Lo, this is the man that took not God for his strength: but trusted unto the multitude of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

As for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God: my trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever.

I will always give thanks unto thee for that thou hast done: and I will hope in thy Name, for thy saints like it well.

Psalms52