Psalm 52:3
New International Version
You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth.

New Living Translation
You love evil more than good and lies more than truth. Interlude

English Standard Version
You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah

Berean Standard Bible
You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah

King James Bible
Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

New King James Version
You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah

New American Standard Bible
You love evil more than good, Lies more than speaking what is right. Selah

NASB 1995
You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.

NASB 1977
You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.

Legacy Standard Bible
You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.

Amplified Bible
You love evil more than good, And falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.

Christian Standard Bible
You love evil instead of good, lying instead of speaking truthfully. Selah

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You love evil instead of good, lying instead of speaking truthfully. Selah

American Standard Version
Thou lovest evil more than good, And lying rather than to speak righteousness. [Selah

Contemporary English Version
You would rather do evil than good, and tell lies than speak the truth.

English Revised Version
Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You prefer evil to good. You prefer lying to speaking the truth. [Selah]

Good News Translation
You love evil more than good and falsehood more than truth.

International Standard Version
You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking uprightly. Interlude

Majority Standard Bible
You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah

NET Bible
You love evil more than good, lies more than speaking the truth. (Selah)

New Heart English Bible
You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

World English Bible
You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
You have loved evil rather than good, "" Lying, than speaking righteousness. Selah.

Young's Literal Translation
Thou hast loved evil rather than good, Lying, than speaking righteousness. Selah.

Smith's Literal Translation
The original Julia E. Smith Bible records the following as a verse reference for Ps 52:5Thou lovedst evil above good; falsehood more than speaking justice. Silence.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou hast loved malice more than goodness: and iniquity rather than to speak righteousness.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You have loved malice above goodness, and iniquity more than speaking righteousness.

New American Bible
You love evil more than good, lying rather than saying what is right. Selah

New Revised Standard Version
You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. Selah
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You love evil more than good, and lying rather than speaking righteousness.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You have loved evil more than good, and lying more than speaking righteousness.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thou lovest evil more than good; Falsehood rather than speaking righteousness. Selah

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou hast loved wickedness more than goodness; unrighteousness better than to speak righteousness. Pause.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Why Do You Boast of Evil?
2Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit. 3You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah 4You love every word that devours, O deceitful tongue.…

Cross References
Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: / haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, / a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, ...

Jeremiah 9:3-5
“They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD. / “Let everyone guard against his neighbor; do not trust any brother, for every brother deals craftily, and every friend spreads slander. / Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they wear themselves out committing iniquity.

Micah 6:12
For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths.

Isaiah 59:3-4
For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice. / No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case honestly. They rely on empty pleas; they tell lies; they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.

Hosea 4:1-2
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! / Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.

Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.

Proverbs 19:5
A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape.

Psalm 5:9
For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.

Psalm 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.

Psalm 36:3
The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and well-doing.

Psalm 58:3
The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth.

Psalm 64:3-4
who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows, / ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear.

Psalm 120:2-3
Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and a deceitful tongue. / What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue?

Matthew 12:34-37
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. / The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. / But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. ...

John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.


Treasury of Scripture

You love evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

lovest

Jeremiah 4:22
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Micah 3:2
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;

Romans 1:25
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

lying

Psalm 62:4
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

Jeremiah 9:3-5,8
And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD…

John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

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Psalm 52
1. David, condemning the spitefulness of Doeg, prophesies his destruction
6. The righteous shall rejoice at it
8. David, upon his confidence in God's mercy, gives thanks














You love evil more than good
This phrase highlights a moral inversion, where evil is preferred over good. In biblical context, this reflects the condition of the human heart apart from God, as seen in Genesis 6:5, where every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The preference for evil over good is a recurring theme in Scripture, illustrating the fallen nature of humanity. This phrase can also be connected to Isaiah 5:20, which warns against calling evil good and good evil. Theologically, it underscores the need for divine intervention and redemption, as only through Christ can one truly love good over evil.

falsehood more than speaking truth
This part of the verse addresses the preference for deceit over honesty. In the cultural and historical context of ancient Israel, truth was highly valued, as seen in the ninth commandment against bearing false witness (Exodus 20:16). The love of falsehood is indicative of a heart that is not aligned with God's character, as God is described as a God of truth (Deuteronomy 32:4). This preference for falsehood can be seen in the actions of figures like Doeg the Edomite, who betrayed David by lying to Saul (1 Samuel 22). In the New Testament, Jesus identifies Himself as the truth (John 14:6), making the love of falsehood antithetical to following Christ.

Selah
The term "Selah" is often found in the Psalms and is thought to be a musical or liturgical pause, inviting the reader or listener to reflect on what has been said. In this context, it serves as a moment to ponder the gravity of choosing evil over good and falsehood over truth. It encourages self-examination and contemplation of one's own heart and actions in light of God's standards. Theologically, it can be seen as a call to repentance and a reminder of the need for God's grace to transform the heart.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 52, David wrote this psalm in response to the treachery of Doeg the Edomite, who betrayed him to King Saul.

2. Doeg the Edomite
A servant of King Saul who informed Saul of David's visit to Ahimelech the priest, leading to the massacre of the priests at Nob.

3. King Saul
The first king of Israel, who was in pursuit of David, seeing him as a threat to his throne.

4. Ahimelech the Priest
The priest who assisted David, unaware of the conflict between David and Saul, and was subsequently killed by Saul's order.

5. Nob
The city of priests where Ahimelech resided and where the massacre took place.
Teaching Points
The Nature of Evil and Good
Evil is not just the absence of good but an active choice against God's will. Believers are called to discern and choose good over evil.

The Power of Words
Falsehood and truth are powerful forces. As followers of Christ, we are called to speak truth in love and avoid deceit.

Heart's Affection
What we love reveals our heart's condition. We must examine our affections and align them with God's desires.

Consequences of Betrayal
Betrayal, as seen in Doeg's actions, leads to destruction and sorrow. Loyalty and integrity are vital in our relationships.

Reflection and Pause (Selah)
The term "Selah" invites us to pause and reflect on the weight of our choices between good and evil.Verse 3. - Thou lovest evil more than good. To "love evil" is to have reached the lowest depth of depravity. It is to say, with Milton's Satan, "Evil, be thou my good!" And lying rather than to speak righteousness (see the comment on ver. 2). Doeg's crimes seem to have arisen out of a mere love of evil.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You love
אָהַ֣בְתָּ (’ā·haḇ·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 157: To have affection f

evil
רָּ֣ע (rā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

more than good,
מִטּ֑וֹב (miṭ·ṭō·wḇ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

falsehood
שֶׁ֓קֶר ׀ (še·qer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8267: Deception, disappointment, falsehood

more than speaking
מִדַּבֵּ֖ר (mid·dab·bêr)
Preposition-m | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

the truth.
צֶ֣דֶק (ṣe·ḏeq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6664: The right, equity, prosperity

Selah
סֶֽלָה׃ (se·lāh)
Interjection
Strong's 5542: Suspension, pause


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OT Poetry: Psalm 52:3 You love evil more than good lying (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 52:2
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