A Psalm About Doeg (Psalm #52)

Text: Psalm 52

In Psalm 51 there is a contrite and broken heart that God will approve.  In Psalm 52 you have the opposite. An arrogant proud heart that God will oppose.

History

  • The context of this psalm is about a man named Doeg in 1 Samuel 22:7-23.
  • Saul offers financial gain to those who will hunt down David.  Doeg says he’ll do it.
  • Saul wants the priesthood killed off and Doeg takes it further by wiping out the city of Nob where the priests lived.

Prophecy

  • Nob is targeted for destruction by this wicked man who is a type of the man of sin – 1 Samuel 22:19 and Isaiah 10:32.

David’s song of faith

  • Vs 1 – goodness of God makes the wicked believe he got away with wickedness
  • Vs 2 – tongue deviseth mischiefs
    • just like a teenage boy and a teenage girl alone devise mischiefs
    • Just like a group of young boys devise mischiefs
    • Just like a group of young girls devise mischiefs
    • This is carnality when it thinks there is no authority.
  • Vs 3 – lovest evil more than good
    • Isn’t that something?  Not that he loves evil only.  He just prefers it to good. Not that he loves lying only.  He just prefers it to speaking right.
    • That’s carnality.  You could always point to a few good things and say judge me based on those few good things.  But for every good act or act of obedience to God you have 50 acts where you chose evil over good and lying of speaking right.
  • Vs 7 – Notice the man of sin doesn’t serve the devil.  The masters are God and Mammon, not God and the devil. So you worship God or money and in service to money you are in service to the devil.  That’s Doeg doing the devil’s work because he trusted in the abundance of his riches.
  • Vs 8 – olive tree is like faithful Israelites in Romans 11:17, 24.  They don’t trust in riches, but in the mercy of God.
  • Vs 9 – patience of the saints to wait on the work of God