Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 52:3
Thou lovest evil more than good; [and] lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
3. evil more than good ] Evil rather than good, evil and not good. The meaning is not merely that he has a preference for evil, but that he chooses evil instead of good, like the nobles censured in Mic 3:2, “who hate the good and love the evil.”
righteousness ] Not merely truth, but truth regarded as promoting and securing justice. The aim and result of his falsehoods was injustice.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thou lovest evil more than good – Thou dost prefer to do injury to others, rather than to do them good. In the case referred to, instead of aiding the innocent, the persecuted, and the wronged, he had attempted to reveal the place where he might be found, and where an enraged enemy might have an opportunity of wreaking his vengeance upon him.
And lying rather than to speak righteousness – He preferred a lie to the truth; and, when he supposed that his own interest would be subserved by it, he preferred a falsehood that would promote that interest, rather than a simple statement of the truth. The lying in this case was that which was implied in his being desirous of giving up David, or betraying him to Saul – as if David was a bad man, and as if the suspicions of Saul were wellfounded. He preferred to give his countenance to a falsehood in regard to him, rather than to state the exact truth in reference to his character. His conduct in this was strongly in contrast with that of Ahimelech, who, when arraigned before Saul, declared his belief that David was innocent; his firm conviction that David was true and loyal. For that fidelity he lost his life, 1Sa 22:14. Doeg was willing to lend countenance to the suspicions of Saul, and practically to represent David as a traitor to the king. The word Selah here is doubtless a mere musical pause. See the notes at Psa 3:2. It determines nothing in regard to the sense of the passage.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Thou lovest evil] This was a finished character. Let us note the particulars:
1. He boasted in the power to do evil.
2. His tongue devised, studied, planned, and spoke mischiefs.
3. He was a deceitful worker.
4. He loved evil and not good.
5. He loved lying; his delight was in falsity.
6. Every word that tended to the destruction of others he loved.
7. His tongue was deceitful; he pretended friendship while his heart was full of enmity, Ps 52:1-4. Now behold the punishment: –
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Evil and
good may be here taken, either,
1. Morally; Thou lovest wickedness and not goodness; for so comparative passages are oft meant, as Psa 118:8, It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man, i.e. It is good to trust God, but it is not good to trust man; for this is absolutely forbidden, Psa 146:3; Jer 17:5. Or,
2. Physically. Thou lovest to speak or act to the hurt and ruin of others, rather than to their benefit. Thou mightest, without any danger to thyself, have been silent concerning Ahimelechs fact, or have put a favourable construction upon it; but thou hast chosen rather to misrepresent and aggravate it. He saith,
thou lovest, to imply that he did this not by any constraint or necessity, but by choice, and with complacency, and out of a love to mischief.
Lying, whereof Doeg was guilty, partly in reporting that he (i.e. Ahimelech) inquired of the Lord for him, (David,) 1Sa 22:10, which he did not, 1Sa 21, where all that history is recorded; and partly in putting a false interpretation upon what he did, in giving him victuals and a sword, as if he had done it knowingly, and in conspiracy with David, and against Saul, as appears by comparing Doegs answer with Sauls inquiry, 1Sa 22:7,8.
Righteousness, i.e. the whole and naked truth, without any such lying or malicious comment upon it, which was but an act of justice due from thee to any man, and much more on the behalf of so innocent and sacred a person.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Thou lovest evil more than good,…. Indeed not good at all; such comparatives being strong negatives; see Ps 118:8; a wicked man loves evil, and nothing else; his carnal mind being enmity to all that is good
[and] lying rather than to speak righteousness; as appears by his affirming that Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for David, when he did not, 1Sa 22:10; and by suffering some things to pass for truths which were falsehoods, when it lay in his power to have disproved them: and such a lover of lies is antichrist; see 1Ti 4:2.
Selah; on this word, [See comments on Ps 3:2]. The Targum renders the word “Selah” here “for ever”, as in Ps 52:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3. Evil more than good The sense is, evil and not good, falsehood and not speaking “righteousness.” The good and the true were not loved at all.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 52:3 Thou lovest evil more than good; [and] lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
Ver. 3. Thou lovest evil more than good ] Indeed, evil only, and not at all good, whatever thou pretendest. Thy heart is naught, and thence it is that thy tongue is so mischievous, as stinking breath cometh from corrupt inwards.
And lying, rather than to speak righteousness
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
evil. Hebrew. ra’a. App-44.
Selah. Connecting the deceitful tongue of Doeg (Psa 52:4) with the imprecation on it. See App-66.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
lovest: Jer 4:22, Mic 3:2, Rom 1:25, 2Ti 3:4
lying: Psa 62:4, Jer 9:3-5, Jer 9:8, Joh 8:44, Rev 22:15
Reciprocal: Exo 10:11 – for that Psa 50:19 – givest Psa 140:3 – sharpened Pro 21:10 – soul Mar 14:1 – by Eph 4:25 – putting 2Th 2:12 – but