Introduction

Have you heard the story about the rich man who was determined to "take it with him" when he died? Here's how it goes:

The rich man prayed and prayed until finally the Lord gave in. There was one condition: he could bring only one suitcase of his wealth. The rich man decided to fill the case with gold bullion. The day came when God called him home. St. Peter greeted him but told him he couldn't bring his suitcase. "Oh, but I have an agreement with God," the man explained. "That's unusual," said Saint Peter. "Mind if I take a look?" The man opened the suitcase to reveal the shining blocks of gold bullion. Saint Peter was amazed. "Why in the world would you bring paving bricks?"

The heading in this Psalm says

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.

This is the story. Saul was anointed king over Israel. After a while he deliberately went out of his way to disobey God in several things.

Then God took His Holy Spirit from Saul. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:14

But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.

Ryrie’s note says, The presence of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament was selective and temporary, whereas today it is universal and permanent among believers. The evil spirit was used by God as the instrument of judgment on Saul, resulting in a mental disturbance bordering on madness.

Today we would say that Saul had fits of insanity.

There were times that Saul was lucid and in possession of his faculties

And times when Saul was quite irrational.

He suffered from paranoia

Delusions of persecution

And an insane jealousy of David

After David had defeated Goliath, Saul made David an officer in the Army

David was a commander under Abner, Saul’s General

David and Saul were both mighty men and won many battles

One day as they returned to Saul’s place of residence the women of the town came out singing and dancing. We would see their song in 1 Samuel 18:7

So the women sang as they danced, and said: "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands."

The next verse describes Saul’s reaction the this song

Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?"

From that point in his insanity Saul had fits of jealous rage and attempted to kill David

At one point David was playing his harp in an attempt to sooth Saul and Saul threw a spear to kill David. Things were so bad with Saul that he even tried ti kill his own son Jonathan because of his loyalty to David.

David has fled from Saul’s presence in hast and had no time to gather provisions and so he stops to ask the priest at the Tabernacle for food and a weapon.

David did not tell the priest that he was running from Saul; but, that he was on the kings business

At his point we are introduced to Doeg in 1 Samuel 21:7

Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.

Ahimelech, the priest, gave David the day old show bread and the sword of Goliath and David went on his way.

In 1 Samuel 22:6 - 8, Saul is looking for David and in a moment of irrationality we find Saul accusing his son, and his officers of plotting against him on the question of David

When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered; now Saul was staying in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him; {7} then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, "Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? {8} "All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day."

It is at this point the Doeg tells Saul about what he saw and heard at the Tabernacle

Saul calls for the priest and all his family to questions him about David.

Then Saul commands his officers to kill Ahimelech, the priest and his family.

In 1 Samuel 22:17 - 18 we read this

Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me." But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the LORD. {18} And the king said to Doeg, "You turn and kill the priests!" So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod.

So this is the background for Psalm 52

The discerning officers refused to murder the priests

But, Doeg took on the task with relish

In recalling this atrocity David writes about such a person in the first several verses of the Psalm

We will examine this Psalm in 4 parts

The wicked are deceitful, Verses 1-4

The wicked are doomed, Verse 5

The righteous are discerning, Verses. 6-7

The righteous are devoted, Verses 8-9

And so let’s begin by turning to Psalm 52:1 - 4

Body

The wicked are deceitful, Verses 1-4

Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. {2} Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. {3} You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah {4} You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue.

Ryrie’s say this about our passage, These verses describe Doeg's treachery

David doesn’t bring accusations of murder against Doe; but, what accusation does David bring against him?

Boasting

A deceitful, destructive tongue

Loving evil

Lying

Boasting

If we turn back to Psalm 5:5 we find this

The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.

In Psalm 34:2 David writes

My soul shall make its boast in the LORD

David boasts in the Lord while He brings an accusation against Does of being like a hen that has just laid her egg, look, look at what I did, look, look at what I did

It seems as though, when we are telling a story about our accomplishments we have a tendency to embellish the tail just a little

Like the fisherman describing the one that got away or this story, In his book The Witness is Withness, David Augsburger told an imaginary story about a man who had just arrived in heaven. Attracted by a large crowd, he inquired what was going on, "Oh, it's 'show and tell' time," came the answer. He was asked if he had anything he'd like to share. "Why sure," the new arrival quickly responded, "I'll tell about the big flood we had back in 1889 when I was a boy in Pennsylvania." "That will be fine," he was told, "but remember, Noah will be in the audience."

We should all remember these two

There is a God.

And we are not Him.

If we are going to boast let it be in the Lord

The next thing David brings in accusation is a deceitful, destructive tongue

James does a very good job of covering this subject in chapter 3 verses 5 - 10

Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! {6} And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. {7} For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. {8} But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. {9} With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. {10} Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

One thing that Ryrie points out is this, and sets on fire the course of nature that is the whole course of human existence.

Then he points out the tremendous destructive power of the tongue which comes from hell

David then brings accusation of

Loving evil

In Romans 1:28 - 32 Paul describes this kind of individual

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; {29} being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, {30} backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, {31} undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; {32} who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Notice this not only do the people themselves sin but they encourage and vicariously enjoy the sins of others

The last thing David condemns in Doeg is lying

In John 8:44 Jesus has this to say about the liar

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Now turning to Psalm 52:5 we see

The wicked are doomed

God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

In this verse David points out 4 figure that describe the doom of the wicked

God shall destroy you forever

God shall take you away

God shall pluck you out of you dwelling place

God shall uproot you from the land of the living

As we look at these four figures we see the hand of Almighty God against those who’s lifestyle is evil

There are those who sin; but, do not live a lifestyle of sin

In the previous passage we understand that the wicked live an evil lifestyle over and above being a sinner

And so, David has pronounced the eventual destruction of those who continually rebel against God’s Law

Turning to Revelation

"But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Thinking back on the background for this Psalm, a soldier is no stranger to death, it is a real part of his life

Killing and being killed

But, Saul’s officers would not raise their hands against the priest and his family

It took Doeg, the cowardly murderer, to do the dastardly deed

David uses the four figure to point out the eventual end of a person like Doeg

He shall have his part in the Lake of fire and brimstone

Now, going back to Psalm 52:6 - 7 we find

The righteous are discerning

The righteous also shall see and fear, And shall laugh at him, saying, {7} "Here is the man who did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness."

Again, thinking back on the background for this Psalm, a soldier is no stranger to death, it is a real part of his life

Killing and being killed

But, Saul’s officers would not raise their hands against the priest and his family

Saul’s officers were discerning and courageous men

In my Memorial Day message I defined loyalty

My definition of loyalty included such things as

Intelligence

Love

And devotion

I went on to say, one thing we have found over the past years is that the excuses that a soldier was only following orders is unacceptable

The Nuernberg trials after World War II

And the trial of Lieutenant William Caley for the Milii massacre

Proves that there is more required of a soldier then blind obedience

There is a great need for intelligence and discernment

Regardless of the order given a soldier, is it the right thing to do?

Would my obedience be an honor or a shame for my commander or for my country?

Saul’s officers were loyal to him and to God

In their assessment of the situation they abstained from blood shed

This must have take a great deal of courage knowing that Saul was mentally unbalanced

If Saul had attempted to kill his own son, what would keep him from murdering them?

Scripture does not tell us where these officers were when Saul ordered Doeg to murder the priest and his family

I suspect that these officers were elsewhere

I say this because of other incidents where Saul’s officers defended the right

And would not allow Saul to kill innocent people

David seems to generalize his description of the righteous in these verses

The righteous also shall see and fear, And shall laugh at him, saying, {7} "Here is the man who did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness."

Speaking more of the reactions of all the righteous rather than just those of Saul’s officers

The see and fear God

And laugh (in disdain and abhorrence) at the wicked

Note the accusation of the wicked by the righteous

Here is the man who did not make God his strength

But trusted in the abundance of his riches

And strengthened himself in his wickedness.

The main point is not the ridicule of the wicked; but, the discernment of the righteous

These fear the Lord

These see and detest the ways of the wicked

Then to our last two verses in Psalm 52

The righteous are devoted, Verses 8-9

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. {9} I will praise You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good.

Previously

David has accused the wicked

He has described the ways of people like Doeg

Boasting

A deceitful, destructive tongue

Loving evil

Lying

In his description of the righteous, he again details the ways of the wicked in different words

Here is the man who did not make God his strength

But trusted in the abundance of his riches

And strengthened himself in his wickedness.

David also describe the end of the wicked person

Then in contrast he states his

Lifestyle

His intentions

And his future

His lifestyle

David describes himself as a green olive tree in the house of the Lord

His life would be in the life of the place of God’s worship

And his trust would be in God’s mercy

As I was looking at other references for this message I found a sermon written by Charles G. Finney which went into great detail about mercy

Here are just a few words about mercy from Finney’s sermon:

Mercy as an attribute of God, is not to be confounded with mere goodness. This mistake is often made. That it is a mistake, you will see at once if you consider that mercy is directly opposed to justice, while yet justice is one of the natural and legitimate developments of goodness. Goodness may demand the exercise of justice; indeed it often does; but to say that mercy demands the exercise of justice, is to use the word without meaning. Mercy asks that justice be set aside. Of course mercy and goodness stand in very different relations to justice, and are very different attributes.

Mercy is a disposition to pardon the guilty. Its exercise consists in arresting and setting aside the penalty of law, when that penalty has been incurred by transgression. It is, as has been said, directly opposed to justice. Justice treats every individual according to his deserts; mercy treats the criminal very differently from what he deserves to be treated. Desert is never the rule by which mercy is guided; while it is precisely the rule of justice.

Mercy is exercised only where there is guilt. It always pre-supposes guilt. The penalty of the law must have been previously incurred, else there can be no scope for mercy.

David leans on, trusts in the infinite mercy of God as do we all

We see in Finney’s definition of mercy guilt

We see in Christ the righteous requirements of justice so that there is room for mercy for each of us

David also voices his intentions

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. {9} I will praise You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good.

I will praise You

In the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name

And David visualizes his future

Thrusting in God’s mercy

Praising

And testifying

Forever and ever

Conclusion

As we see people who’s lifestyle is like that of Doeg we can contrast

Who they are

What they are

And what their end will be

With ourselves as did David

Who are we - the children of God

What are we - the righteous

And what will be our future - walking eternally with Christ

Praising Him forever and ever

Trusting in His mercy

And waiting in the presence of His saints