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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Psalms 52:3

evil more than good Evil rather than good, evil and not good. The meaning is not merely that he has a preference for evil, but that he chooses evil instead of good, like the nobles censured in Micah 3:2, "who hate the good and love the evil."

righteousness Not merely truth, but truth regarded as promoting and securing justice. The aim and result of his falsehoods was injustice.

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See also Psalms 52:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 52:3. _THOU LOVEST EVIL_] This was a finished character. Let us note the particulars: 1. He boasted in the power to do evil. 2. His tongue devised, studied, planned, and spoke mischiefs...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THOU LOVEST EVIL MORE THAN GOOD - Thou dost prefer to do injury to others, rather than to do them good. In the case referred to, instead of aiding the innocent, the persecuted, and the wronged, he had...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 52 The Proud and Boasting Man __ 1. The character of the man of sin (Psalms 52:1) 2. The character of the righteous (Psalms 52:8) The four Psalms which follow (all Maschil Psalms) give mos...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    LII. The Psalmist denounces an enemy of his who trusts in his wealth and in unscrupulous falsehood. He is confident that this adversary will be rooted up and that he himself will flourish and abide in...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    EVIL. Hebrew. _ra'a_. App-44. SELAH. Connecting the deceitful tongue of Doeg (Psalms 52:4) with the imprecation on it. See App-66....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 52 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Doeg the Edomite Denounced. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 52:1-5, Doeg Remonstrated with, Described, and Threatened. Stanza II., Psalms 52:6-9, The Laugh of the Righteous o...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THOU LOVEST EVIL MORE THAN GOOD; AND LYING RATHER THAN TO SPEAK RIGHTEOUSNESS. SELAH._ Thou lovest evil more than good ... lying ... than ... righteousness - or justice: in direst defiance of Deuter...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Title.—(RV) 'For the Chief Musician. Maschil of David: when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.' In some respects Doeg (1 Samuel 22:9) migh...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PSALMS 42:72 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. Words marked with a *star are described in the word list at the end. The translated Bible text has yet to go through Advanced Che...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 52:5]_ אָהַ֣בְתָּ רָּ֣ע מִ טֹּ֑וב שֶׁ֓קֶר...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 52:1 THE progress of feeling in this psalm is clear, but there is no very distinct division into strophes and one of the two Selahs does not mark a transition, though it does make a pause. Firs...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE BOASTER AND THE TRUSTER Psalms 52:1 The inscription of this psalm describes its origin. The contrast which it presents is full of instruction. The ungodly is often a mighty man in the estimation...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this song the attitude of God toward the wicked man who is a tyrant is manifest. The mighty man who boasts himself in mischief is first put in striking contrast to God whose mercy endureth continua...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    We shall not lose an atom of this subject, considered as to the persecutions of good men, by the evil in general, nor the sure judgment which sooner or later must follow; we shall not lose sight of th...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In Psalms 52 we find faith as regards the power of the wicked man, who was in presence of the godly. The goodness of God endured. God would destroy the proud and deceitful man, while the righteous wou...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THOU LOVEST EVIL MORE THAN GOOD,.... Indeed not good at all; such comparatives being strong negatives; see Psalms 118:8; a wicked man loves evil, and nothing else; his carnal mind being enmity to all...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Thou lovest evil more than good; [and] lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Ver. 3. _Thou lovest evil more than good_] Indeed, evil only, and not at all good, whatever thou pretendest. Th...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Thou lovest evil more than good, that is, in the place of good, he was altogether evil, AND LYING RATHER THAN TO SPEAK RIGHTEOUSNESS, his whole mind being devoted to falsehood and deceit. SELAH....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE PUNISHMENT OF EVIL TONGUES. To the chief musician, for use in public worship, Maschil, a didactic anthem, a psalm of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 Those that glory in sin, glory in their shame. The patience and forbearance of God are abused by sinners, to the hardening of their hearts in their wicked ways. But the enemies in vain boast in t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    EVIL and GOOD may be here taken, either, 1. Morally; Thou lovest wickedness and not goodness; for so comparative passages are oft meant, as PSALMS 118:8, _It is better to trust in the Lord than to put...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 52:3 love H157 (H8804) evil H7451 good H2896 Lying H8267 speaking H1696 (H8763) righteousness H6664 Selah...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    A DESCRIPTION OF MAN'S SINFULNESS (PSALMS 52:1). In the first verse the ‘man of substance' is asked why he boasts continually about mischief he has wrought in the light of the fact of the continually...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 52:3 David had been the special object of Doeg's hatred, and he felt deeply the wrongs he had endured. He represents the false tongue as being effectual for mischief, like a razor which, unkno...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The triumph of God's people over all oppressors. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: Those who think to support themselves in their own power and wealth without God and His Word, are wretc...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The title of this psalm is not disputed. It relates to the treachery of Doeg. See the history, 1 Samuel 21:1; 1 Samuel 22:9. Psalms 52:1. _Why boastest thou,_ oh Doeg, of thy superior loyalty to Saul,...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?_ A SOCIAL BETRAYER This psalm may be regarded as presenting to us a social betrayer in a variety of aspects. Doeg was an “informer,” one whom We...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully._ SINS OF SPEECH The prominence given to sins of speech is peculiar. We should have expected high-handed violence rather than t...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 52:1. The faithful develop confidence in God’s care and protection, particularly when surrounded by ruthless enemies. The title sets the psalm during David’s flight from Sau...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION _Superscription_.—“To the Chief Musician, Maschil, a Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.” “_To the Chie...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION HERE, again, the title is the best guide to the origin, intent, and authorship of the psalm. It is ascribed to David, and said to have been written on the occasion when Doeg the Edomite acq...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn now in our Bibles to Psalms 51:1-19. David is surely one of the most outstanding characters of the Old Testament. He was greatly hated and greatly loved. He had the capacity to inspire t...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Timothy 3:4; Jeremiah 4:22; Jeremiah 9:3; Jeremiah 9:8; John 8:44;...

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