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Psalm 52 Bible study: A green olive tree in God's house
The man who "trusted in the abundance of his riches" (52:7) and the psalmist who says "I trust in God’s loving kindness" (52:8) share one Hebrew verb, batach. Psalm 52 doesn't set a man who trusts beside a man who doesn't: both trust, and the psalm is about what each trusts in.
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“But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house. I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever.”
Try it · Did you catch it?
“In Psalm 52, the psalmist says he trusts in God's loving kindness.”
Is that in Psalm 52, or not? Make your call.
What's really going on
A title that names a day
The WEB prints the title at the start of verse 1: "For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David" (52:1) (tap contemplation), and it names an occasion: "when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul" (52:1), with the words he told: "David has come to Ahimelech’s house" (52:1). 1 Samuel tells of both. David "came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest" (1 Samuel 21:1), and "a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day" (1 Samuel 21:7), "Doeg the Edomite" (1 Samuel 21:7). Later Doeg speaks to Saul (1 Samuel 22:9-10). Then the psalm itself begins, and it names no one. It speaks to a man: "Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually" (52:1) (tap boast, mighty, loving kindness). The psalm doesn't say how its words fit the day the title names, and these notes don't fill that in.
Honest questions
Questions people ask about Psalm 52
That was a taste
The rest of Psalm 52 is waiting in Favor
- A tongue like a razor
- Two who trust
- Rooted out, and green
- See, fear, trust: Psalm 40 and Psalm 52
- The green olive tree, and other trees
- "Told Saul"
- 6 questions as you read
- 14 more Hebrew words
- A short check at the end
- Your notes, saved as you go
Favor reads the Bible in order, so you'll reach Psalm 52 with everything before it in view. First week free, then $10 a month per person.
The Hebrew word behind it
בָּטַחbatachsay ba-TAKH
Brown-Driver-Briggs: "trust", and "be confident". Strong's: "figuratively, to trust, be confident or sure". The psalm has it twice, one verse after the other. Of the man: "but trusted in the abundance of his riches" (52:7). Of the psalmist: "I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever" (52:8). Both trust; the psalm sets side by side what each trusts in. Psalm 49 has the same Hebrew as 52:7's trust, abundance and riches (there the WEB has trust, multitude and riches): "Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches" (Psalm 49:6). The Psalms use the verb 46 times in Hebrew.
For your group
Psalm 52 Bible study questions
- 1The psalm says a tongue can be "like a sharp razor" (52:2). When have words cut you, or when have your own words cut someone else?
- 2One man "trusted in the abundance of his riches" (52:7); the psalmist says, "I trust in God’s loving kindness" (52:8). When life feels uncertain, what do you find yourself leaning on first?
- 3The psalm ends, "I will hope in your name, for it is good, in the presence of your saints" (52:9). Who are the people around you who help you keep hoping?
Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Psalm 52 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.
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Questions
What is Favor?
Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.
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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home