Psalm 52

This article is about Psalm 52 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 52 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 53.
Psalm 52
"Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?"
Beginning of Psalm 52 in Claricia's Psalter
Other name
  • Psalm 51
  • "Quid gloriatur in malitia"
TextAttributed to King David
LanguageHebrew (original)

Psalm 52 is the 52nd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 51. In Latin, it is known as "Quid gloriatur in malitia",[1] It is described as a maskil,[2] attributed to David, and is said to have been written "when Doeg the Edomite went and told Saul, and said to him, "David has gone to the house of Ahimelech".[3] In this psalm, David criticises those who use their talents for evil.[4]

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant liturgies.

  1. ^ Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 51 / 52 Archived 7 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
  2. ^ Psalm heading to Psalm 52 in the New International Version
  3. ^ Psalm heading to Psalm 52 in the New King James Version
  4. ^ The Artscroll Tehillim, page 110