Henry Ainsworth on Psalms 52

PSAL. LII.

To the master of the musicke, an instructing Psalme of David. When Doeg the Adomite came and shewed to Saul, and said to him, David came unto the house of Achimelech.

WHy boastest thou in evill, O mighty man? the mercie of God endureth all the day. Thy tongue thinketh wofull evils, as a sharpe rasour doing deceit. Thou lovest evill more than good; falshood more than to speake justice Selah. Thou lovest all words of swallowing; the tongue of deceit. Also God will destroy thee to perpetuitie, hee will pull thee away and plucke thee out of the tent, and will root thee up, out of the land of the living Selah. And the just shall see and feare, and shall laugh at him. Behold the man that put not God for his strength, but trusted in the multitude of his riches; hee was strong in his wofull evill. But I, as a greene Olive in the house of God, I trust in the mercy of God ever and aye. I will confesse thee for ever, for thou hast done this; and will patiently expect thy name, for it is good before thy gracious Saints.

Annotations. DOeg] a servant of King Saul, and master of his herdmen, 1 Sam. 21. 7. the Adomite] that is, an Aedomite, or, Idumean, as the Greeke here translateth: or a man of Adamah a citie of the tribe of Naphtali, Ios. 19. 36. of Acbimelech] David flying from Sauls tyranny, came for comfort to the house of God in Nob, where Achimelech the Priest administred. He gave unto David and his company the showbread [illegible: 1 letter]o [illegible: 1 word] armed him with the sword of Goljath the Philistian, and asked counsell of the Lord for him. Doēg saw this, and told King Saul, and after (when no other man would) himselfe at the Kings commandement, ran upon Achimelech and the Priests, and killed 85 persons: and Nob the citie of the Priests he smote with the edge of the sword, both man, woman, childe and beast. But Abj[illegible: 1 letter]thar Achimelechs sonne escaped unto David, and told him, who there upon made this Psalme. See 1 Sam. 21. and 22. Matth. 12. 3 4. Vers. 3. in evill] the Chaldee expounds it, in an evill tongue. O mighty man] or, Potentate, Doëg is thus named, for his chiefe place over King Sauls herdmen, 1 Sam. 21. 7 and his killing of so many Priests of the Lord, 1 Sam. 22. 18. 19. in which mischievous prowesse he vaunted himselfe. Vers. 4. thinketh] or understand, Why thinketh thy tongue? that is, uttereth the evils thought and premeditated. doing deceit] that is, as a rasour which in stead of cutting the haire, cutteth the throat. Or it may be referred to the man, O doer of deceit, as the Greeke saith, thou hast done deceit. Vers. 5. justice] that is, truth or faithfulnesse. Vers. 6. words of swallowing] or of devouring, of perniciousnesse, that is, pernicious words which cause destruction. Vers. 7. destroy] or pull thee downe: a similitude taken from buildings pulled downe, Levit. 14. 45. applied here to mans overthrow. So Iob 19. 10. pull thee away] or take thee hence, as a coale of fire is taken with the rongs, Esa. 30. 4. plucke thee] as the stakes are plucked up when the tent is removed. This is applied to expulsion ou[illegible: 1 letter] of ones setled place; and is opposed to stablishing, Deut. 28. 63. Prov. 2. 22. and 15. [illegible: 1 letter]5. root thee up] as a tree plucked up by the roots, Iude 12. So Iob 31. 12. la[illegible: 1 letter]d of the living] that is, this world. See Psal. 27. 13. Vers. 8. shall see] the Chaldee paraphraseth, shalt see thy punishment, and feare before the Lord. Vers. 9. the man] the mighty [illegible: 1 word] It hath reference to verse 3. he was strong] or, would be strong, and prevaile; as Psal. 9. 20. or; strengthened and hardned himselfe. his wofull evill] or, in that he hath, that is, his substance; the Greeke saith, in his vanitie. Vers. 10. greene olive] alwayes fresh and flourishing. See Psal. 37. 35. Ier. 11. 1[illegible: 1 letter]. aye] continually: see Psal. 9. 6. Vers. 11. hast done] the Chaldee addeth, hast done the vengeance of my judgement.