Fathers

Psalms 52

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Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually. Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue. God will likewise destroy you forever. He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying, “Behold, this is the man who didn’t make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.” 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. I will give you thanks forever, because you have done it. I will hope in your name, for it is good, in the presence of your saints.

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 52:9

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Therefore that man having been condemned that "has trusted in the multitude of his riches, and has prevailed in his vanity:" for what more vain, than he that thinks coin more to avail than God? Therefore that man having been condemned that said, blessed of the people to whom these things are: thou that sayest, "Blessed the people of whom is the Lord their own God," dost think of yourself what? dost hope for yourself what? "But I;" now at length hear that body: "But I am like an olive, fruit-bearing in the house of God" [Psalm 52:9]. …

Exposition on Psalm 52 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

"I will praise you." Here he promises what he will do: and he promises two things. One refers to the past: and it is thanksgiving for benefits conferred; for this reason he says, "I will praise you forever," that is, I will render praises to you. And this because "you have done it," namely that I should be a fruitful olive tree in the house of the Lord, and that I should hope in the mercy of God. The other refers to the future: "I will wait upon your name, because it is good." He waits for the name of Jesus to be his salvation. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗