Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
The psalmist challenges and curses a haughty and wicked person.
II. Photo
The psalmist confronts the haughty man: “Your tongue devises mischief, like a sharpened razor that works treacherously!” (v. 4)
III. Select Verses
1-2: For the leader. A maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul, telling him, “David came to Ahimelech’s house.”
3: Why do you boast of your evil, brave fellow? God’s faithfulness never ceases.
4-6: Your tongue devises mischief, like a sharpened razor that works treacherously. You prefer evil to good, the lie, to speaking truthfully. Selah. You love all pernicious words, treacherous speech.
7-9: So God will tear you down for good, will break you and pluck you from your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. Selah. The righteous, seeing it, will be awestruck; they will jibe at him, saying, “Here was a fellow who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in his great wealth, relied upon his mischief.”
IV. Outline
1-2. Historical superscription
3. Confrontation with haughty wrong-doers
4-6. Accusation
7-9. Imprecation (with quote of the righteous)
10. Affirmation of confidence
11. Vow
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Gerstenberger, Erhard S. “Psalms Part 1 with an Introduction to Cultic Poetry” Forms of Old Testament Literature (Michigan: Eerdmans, 1988).
Tate, Marvin. “Psalms 51-100” Word Biblical Commentary vol. 20 (Waco, Texas: Wordbooks, 1990).
Photo copied from