Psalm 52 & 56
Psalm 52
1Why 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?
2You who practice deceit,
your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor.
3You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
4You love every harmful word,
you deceitful tongue!
5Surely 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.
6The righteous will see and fear;
they will laugh at you, saying,
7“Here now is the man
who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
and grew strong by destroying others!”
8But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever.
9For 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.
Psalm 56
1Be merciful to me, my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
all day long they press their attack.
2My adversaries pursue me all day long;
in their pride many are attacking me.
3When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
5All day long they twist my words;
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
hoping to take my life.
7Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.
8Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll—
are they not in your record?
9Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
10In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
12I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
13For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.