Psalm 52:1-3

New Catholic Bible

Footnotes

1. Psalm 52:1 The psalmist indicates that a tragic end is reserved for arrogant cynicism and the perfidious tongue, while the righteous subsist, for they take refuge in God; they will have the happiness of living in the temple, i.e., in the presence of the Lord. This psalm constitutes one of the most violent indictments brought against wicked tongues; it resembles the wisdom psalms (see Pss 57:5; 59:8) and writings (Job 20).
   In praying this psalm, we can dwell on the fact that Jesus teaches us to fear more than anything else those schemers who seek the death of our souls: the devil and the corruptive world, the givers of scandal (see 1 Jn 2:16; 1 Pet 5:8). The workers of evil know how to disguise themselves (see 2 Cor 11:15); by the power of Satan, they perform even lying works and use all the wicked deceptions of evil (see 2 Thes 2:9-12).
2. Psalm 52:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. Maskil: see note on Ps 32:1a. For the event referred to, see 1 Sam 22:9f.
3. Psalm 52:3 You champion of malice: the translation follows the Greek. The Hebrew has: “the kindness of God lasts all day long.” The title is one of scorn; he is a champion only in his own mind, and God can easily put him in his place (see Isa 22:17).