Psalm 52-54New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 52

For the director of music. A maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”



1
Why 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?

2
You who practice deceit,
your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor.

3
You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth.

4
You love every harmful word,
you deceitful tongue!



5
Surely 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.

6
The 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!”



8
But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever.

9
For 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 53

For the director of music. According to mahalath. A maskil of David.



1
The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.



2
God looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

3
Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.



4
Do all these evildoers know nothing?


They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on God.

5
But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread.
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
you put them to shame, for God despised them.



6
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 54

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”



1
Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.

2
Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.



3
Arrogant foes are attacking me;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
people without regard for God.



4
Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.



5
Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them.



6
I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.

7
You have delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.