Lessons from the Psalms: A Testimony to the Steadfast Love of God

‘But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever; I will thank you forever because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good in the presence of the godly.” -Psalm 52:6-9 (ESV) [Read Psalm 52]

By way of explanation, during 2016, I have taken a psalm a day in devotional writings and given a brief explication and application of verses from the Psalms in order. Today is the 52^nd day of 2016, and we take a brief look at the 52^nd Psalm, another from the pen of David.

A note to introduce the Psalm stated: “A Maskil of David when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, ‘David has come to the house of Ahimelech.’ “ A word of explanation is in order about the historic incident when David started the Psalm by asking: “Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?” And he is quick to answer: “The steadfast love of God endures all the day.” Then David gives account of the evils done to him by the people who were seeking to harm him.

Here is a brief summary of the story from 1 Samuel 21:1-9 and 1 Samuel 22:6-23. Doeg the Edomite was one of the many men around Saul who bowed to King Saul’s whim hoping to gain favor. He is like people who promote themselves at the expense of justice and righteousness. Or to seek harm for others. Saul was very jealous that David had been anointed as king and wanted to kill the young man, chosen by God to succeed Saul. David was fleeing from Saul. At Nob the priests who had helped David were slaughtered. The priests had given David some of the showbread, and Doeg’s report of this put David in a poor light. When none of Saul’s men would strike the priests, Doeg willingly did so. This Psalm by David then tells of the way of these evil men, but ends telling of the steadfast love of God for his faithful people.

In verses 1-4 we see how sinners boast of what they do. “Mighty man” as given by David could mean our vernacular, “you big shot,” a derisive way of referring to those who are out to do evil to the good people. Verses 5-7 tell the end of those who go against God’s chosen. God himself will bring justice to them. Verses 6-9 show that the wicked are like uprooted trees, but the faithful are as a green, flourishing olive tree. The godly need not concern themselves with thoughts of vengeance. God Himself, because of His steadfast love, will vindicate those who love Him and serve Him.

Hymnwriter Charles A. Tindley (1851-1933) wrote both the words and music to “When the Morning Comes.” Lines in the hymn reflect the ideas David propounded in Psalm 52:

“Trials dark on every hand, and we cannot understand

All the ways that God would lead us to that blessed promised land;

But He’ll guide us with His eye, and we’ll follow till we die;

We will understand it better by and by.”

As David may we declare: “I trust in the steadfast love of God forever!” (Psalm 52:8b)

-Ethelene Dyer Jones -February 21, 2016.