The fifty-second psalm. You will notice that this fifty-second psalm has a title to it, and the titles to the psalms are inspired. They are part of the psalm. You will notice it is to the chief musician Maskell, a psalm of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul and said unto him, David has come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boasteth thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God endureth continually. Thy tongue diviseth mischief like a sharp razor working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good, and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thy deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy thee forever. He shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place and root thee out of the land of the living. The righteous also shall see and fear and shall laugh at him. O, this is a man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthened himself in his wickedness. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will praise thee forever because thou hast done it. And I will wait on thy name, for it is good before thy saints. May the Lord bless the reading of his word. Let's pray together. Our Father, we thank you that you're righteous in all your ways. faithful to your people in everything that you permit, and the way in which you permit the circumstances of life to fulfill your eternal purposes. We confess that thy ways are high above our ways, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are thy ways higher than our ways. And we stand in amazement, our Father, not only in what you decree, but in what you allow men to do. And we pray, O God, as we study this second of the imprecatory Psalms, that we may get a fresh glimpse of who thou art, and a fresh glimpse of thy sovereign ways among the children of men, and the ordering of all things for the good of your people, and for the blessing of thy great name. We commend ourselves to you, and we thank you in Jesus' name. for all that you provide in His worthy name and for His glory. Amen. This is the second of the psalms that I call the psalms of retribution, and they have been known down through the years of the imprecatory psalms. For in these psalms, the psalmist calls down the curses of God upon his enemies. And you'll notice, as we did last week, that the psalmist doesn't take things into his own hands, as we saw in the thirty-fifth psalm, which is the first of the imprecatory psalms. He doesn't take things into his own hands, but he commits them to the Lord, who is the final judge. And God will bring things to pass to accomplish his purposes. But in the meantime, the psalmist calls down the curses of God upon his enemy. And these have been some of the more difficult Psalms to expound for the various ones who have written on the Psalms. But this fifty-second Psalm has a title, and we can pinpoint this Psalm into the life of David. We know when it happened, and we know the circumstances about which it happened, and Our Lord even talked about the circumstances that took place when this man, Doeg, talked to King Saul concerning David. Now, you'll notice in the title to the Psalm, Doeg is the Edomite, and we need to think about that for a moment. He is also mentioned as the chief. of King Saul's herdman in the Word of God. As an Edomite, he was a descendant of Esau. Esau was the brother of Jacob who became Israel. Esau was the father of the Edomites. King Herod the Great, who was an Edomian. He was also a son, a descendant of Esau. And King Herod the Great is the one who ordered the slaughter of the innocent in order to slay Israel's great son of the Lord Jesus himself when he was a baby. It tells us what kind of a person King Saul was, that he would have this kind of a man as one of his chief men, the man who tended and was chief over all the servants who... attended to his cattle, that King Saul would have him on his payroll. At the time that this Psalm was written, David was a fugitive, and the courts of King Saul rang with accusations against David and with plots to kill King David. He was King David at this time, for in the purposes of God, God had ordained him king. He was anointed king by Samuel before he slew the giant in the valley of Elah. He was anointed as a young lad. But it was at this time that David had to flee for his life. And on numerous occasions, King Saul came very close. to killing him. And it was at this time that David came to Nab, the place at the Mount of Olives, for that's where the tabernacle was in those days. And it was there that the priests lived. And David came to a Himalek. And David said to the king, The king's business requires haste. The problem was, David wasn't one hundred percent honest himself at that moment. For David was not on an errand for the king. He was not doing the king's business unless he was doing the business for the king of kings. But Ahimelech, he considered the king at that time King Saul. And while he was there, David asked for bread. And the only bread they had was the showbread. And only the priests could eat the showbread. And our Lord defended the actions of David, eating that which was only for the priests. He did so in Matthew chapter twelve, verse three. And it was at that time that Doeg, the Edomite, was there among the crowd around the tabernacle. There was that Edomite, a servant of King Saul. And he heard him ask, Is there a sword here? And the sword of Goliath had been taken and put on display. It was among the treasures of Israel. And Ahimelech gave to David the sword of Goliath. And Diog, then, you remember, whispered this truth. to King Saul. And that's all that King Saul needed. King Saul was one who accused his men of being traitors. And at that time, Diog said, No. We're not traitors, but David is, and so is the priesthood. And then King Saul ordered all the priests to be slain. And it was at that time that God saw to it that one of the priests escaped, a priest by the name of Abiatar, you remember. And he came and he told David what took place. And David had a man with him from that time on who wore an epod. And because he wore an epod, he could ask of God, and God could answer through the Urim and the Thamum. So God turned the incident into a blessing for David. but it came upon Doeg as a genuine curse from the Lord. Now David, he doesn't use the sword of Goliath on Doeg, the Edomite. He doesn't do that. He leaves that Edomite to God. And this psalm calls down upon his head the righteous vengeance of God, for this man was an evil man. Now as an Edomite, he was a foreigner. So was Ruth. Ruth was of the family of the Moabites. As far as relationships go, Doag was closer to Israel than the Moabites were. That was simply a nephew of Abraham. And he was the father of the Moabites and the Yemenites. But Esau was a brother to Jacob. And Jacob was the father of the Israelites. So when we look at that, we find that he's a self-seeking opportunist. He didn't come under the umbrella of the God of Israel like Ruth the Moabites did. He was a self-seeking opportunist. He did well for himself. He climbed the ladder of success in the household of Saul. And sometimes in order to get higher, you stand on something. And he stood on King David with a lying tongue. And that's the background for this psalm. And from verse one, I want you to notice this man's successful position. This man really believed because of the fact that he had come up the ladder of success in the household of King Saul, that he had really feathered his nest and that his future was secure. King Saul was insane with suspicions and... His mind was fertile ground in which Doeg could plant the seed of unrest and suspicion. And this is a very wicked thing to do. Saul was suspicious of his own son, Jonathan, the crown prince of Israel. For the more he was even suspicious of his own wife. According to our text, this man, this Edomite, he boasted publicly about what he did in relation to David. And the first verse deals with it that says, Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, almighty man? He was a mighty man indeed. He was a man who had climbed the ladder of success. But David saw through what he did. And he saw his murderous intent. And he says, why do you boast? For this man boasted publicly of what he did. The problem with this Edomite is a problem in many today. He reckoned apart from God. And when a man reckons apart from God, he is sure to go wrong. For the Word of God says, there is a way that seemeth right unto a man. But the end thereof are the ways of death. But his propaganda was successful. And you have that in verse two. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs, like a sharp razor working deceitful air. It seems that since the tongue is the only member of Doeg's body that he's here mentioned in the Psalm as doing treachery, In all probability, it was before he had killed the priest at Nab. It's quite interesting. David realized that this is not going to end in any good way because of King Saul. David knew his temperament. David knew his desires to be number one and to stay number one. And therefore, David says what he does in that second verse. Had he waited until the priests were slain, he might have worded the psalm a bit differently. But when he speaks of the tongue and the sayings of the tongue of this Edomite, we must keep in mind that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. He said what was in his heart. And a few words whispered at the right time in the ear of King Saul was all that Joag needed to look good and for David to look bad. But I want you to notice in verses two and four. His sinister propensity. Here's a man who had a propensity for evil. Thou lovest evil more than good, and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Sila. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. This is the language that David used in describing the heart that produced the wicked words that came out of his mouth. when he said, thou lovest evil more than good. It is bad enough for a person to perform evil. But think of the condition of the heart when a person looks for opportunities to perform evil. He loved it. His case is far gone. And David knew when he saw him in the crowd that day, at Nab, that he had evil desires and evil intentions, and those evil intentions would bear fruit. And when David heard how he whispered to King Saul, and when he knew about having been told of the reaction of King Saul, He demanded the death of the whole priesthood in Israel. David turned to the Lord. He took out his pen and he wrote this psalm. And when you get into verse five, You read about the sure perdition of this man. Of this man. It's marked out. Verse five, David says to this man and of him. And here we have the imprecatory section of the Psalm. We have the reason for it. Now we have what David asked God concerning him. He says, God shall likewise destroy thee forever. He shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place and rip thee out of the land of the living. Selah, what do you think about that? This is the second time he mentions Selah. When he speaks of the evil heart of this man and how he's bent on wickedness in verse three. He says, what do you think about that? He uses the word sila. But now he uses it the second time. What is God going to do in relation to this man's action? And when we think of the man living in sin today, when we think of the person who hears the gospel and turns from it, they expose their soul in the same way that this Edomite did against David. Notice the statements that are made here in regards to the judgment of God upon him. The first is, God shall likewise destroy thee forever. That's an awful statement. To tell a man, God is going to destroy you forever. But as I mentioned last week, we must keep in mind when we read these implications that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. And that we have here the Spirit of God speaking and announcing judgment through the mouth of David. For the Word of God declares unto us that David was a prophet. And that he spoke prophetically concerning things to come. And this is the message of God. This is what God is really saying. But then again, the second is, he shall take thee away. Your experience is so short-lived, is what he really is saying to him. Furthermore, he said, he's going to pluck thee out of thy dwelling place. You have an idea that you feathered your own nest by what you've done. But you're going to be plucked out of your own dwelling place. And finally, he says, you're going to be rooted out of the land of the living. It's like going into the center city and where a building once stood to see It leveled to the ground that particular area and a new building about to be erected. That building is no more. It can't be found. And for this man who lifted up his hand against the Lord's anointed, no building or he is not going to be found. And to all this, David adds, Or what do you think of that? How could David pen words like this? He could pen them because of two things. Number one, he knew God. David was a man who knew God and he was in close fellowship with God. And the second reason is because of his great confidence in God. And the more confidence we have in God. the more certain we are of the certain retributive judgments of God upon those who deny His name and resist His authority. And this becomes a real picture of God's judgment upon those who will not believe. Second Thessalonians chapter one and verse eight says that they're going to be punished with everlasting power, from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his name, they're going to be dealt with by God. And our confidence in God gives us a sure word, a warning for those who will not trust the Lord. It does not become our word. It becomes the word of God. And therefore, when we take these Psalms and we examine them, We find that they are not merely the words of David. They are the words and the heart of God himself. Now, in contrast to the Edomites, we have David's sublime prospect. What a prospect he had in verses six through nine to the end of the chapter. He says, A righteous also shall see and fear and shall laugh at him. In other words, the righteous are going to rejoice that God is a God of retribution as well as righteousness. Today we examine these words in the light of Calvary. And as we examine them in the light of Calvary, when we see people who act like this man did, we pray for them. For we know that they will be forgiven. if they turn to the Lord. But David is looking at things in the light of the sure judgment of God. And even though we may look today at these events in the light of Calvary, we must keep in mind that Calvary was a place of judgment. It was at Calvary that God judged Christ for our sins. And we sing occasionally at the Lord's Supper. Jesus, my Savior, died, nailed to the tree, cruelly crucified, stricken for me. Darkness there shut him in. God judged him for my sin. Jesus, my soul to win, died there for me. And even though we talk much today of the forgiveness of sins and the love of God, The man who rejects the love of Calvary is headed for definite judgment. The judgment of God is upon him. When we read verse seven, we find the problem that Doeg had. He ruled out God, but he relied on gold. Look at that seventh verse. Lord, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches. There's a sure statement as to the condition of his heart. Instead of relying upon God, he trusted in his gold. The abundance of riches he thought was the most important thing there is. No wonder the Word of God tells us in First Timothy chapter six. Warn them to trust in uncertain riches. They need to be warned. But then he talks to us as well. Those of us who don't have many uncertain riches. He says, Remember, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, which some have been coveted after. We wish we had it. You see, we can covet after it, have pierced themselves through with many a sorrow. Oh, how easy it is to look down your nose at someone else and find your own heart going astray through lust after the very thing that you think is a downfall to someone else. The Word of God speaks of the deceitfulness of riches, and our hearts should bleed over the fact that here's a man that they deceived. And while he had many opportunities because he knew David, the sweet singer of Israel, he not only rejected David, but he rejected David's Lord. And that's what becomes a real problem in his life. This is a mistake that this man made, and he would soon pay for his mistake, not only with his life, but with his soul. How terrible when these things happen to the heart of a person. But you see, in verse eight, David's thoughts go back. They leave this man for a moment, and they go back to the olive groves in the Mount of Olives. And he says, but I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. That word but there is very important. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. David's thoughts are in the tabernacle. Back there were a Himalach ministered unto the Lord on behalf of Israel. And when David said of himself, I'm like a green olive tree, he was really saying, I'm bearing fruit. I'm the longest living and the most prolific of all the trees. It's the olive tree that bears much fruit, and it's the longest living of the trees. Now when he contrasted him with Doeg, Doeg was soon to pass away. Soon the judgment of God was going to fall upon him. He was going to be trodden down and beaten down because of his sin. He was going to be rooted up and cast away. But David said, I'm like a green olive tree. I trust in the mercy of God forever. You see, the man, Duaig, his influence was simply with King Saul. David's influence was with the God of heaven. What a difference. You know, we can drop names today of people we know who are looked upon as great men of the earth. But there's none to be compared to the God of heaven or to know the God of heaven or to rest in the finished work of Calvary and to realize that we have access into His presence continuously. You see, this poor Edomite was spiritually dead, and he was soon going to be eternally dead. When we look at the lost, they're spiritually dead. They're dead in trespasses and sins. And if they pass from time into eternity through death, without knowing the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel, they're eternally dead. dead, lost forever. But you see, David enjoyed something much better than that. He enjoyed eternal life. He could say, I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. And David sang in that eighth verse, He could sing, I will trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. Now we may raise questions over that statement of David. We may say, where was the mercy of God when Doeg told his lies to King Saul? Where was the mercy of God when Doeg was walking? and tramping in the blood of the priests after he had slain them. You see, terrible things are done under heaven by men, and God permits it. But after all the deeds of men are finished, there's an eternity of God. that men must face. And David knew God as a God of eternity. When he could say, I will dwell in the heart of the Lord forever, he was conscious that not every man is going to. There are those who will not. And this was one of them. And therefore David could sing of his glorious prospect. when God, in His retributed judgment, will make all things right. And He'll set all things right. And we can have confidence in God, but this is what He will do because He's God. I don't know if I've ever told you this story. I've told it in the Bible class. We had a Bible conference here a number of years ago with our Brother George Gardner from Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And one noon time, Brother Gardner and Brother Vaughan from Glen Hope Baptist Church and myself had lunch together. And as we were sitting together at lunch, he told us about an eccentric preacher that he knew. And he told us some strange things about this eccentric preacher. But he said he heard the greatest sermon by that preacher on the subject of hell that he ever heard. And he said his outline was so simple. His outline was first, it might be, it might be, and he worked that over for a while. Maybe God is going to somehow overlook. And maybe somehow man in all his ingenuity was going to be able to escape. It might be. And the second point was, it ought to be. And he worked that over and he talked about the atrocities of Hitler. And he talked about the wickedness of men's hearts. what some men do to their wives and to their children, to their neighbors. It ought to be. And his third point was, there it is. And he said, when that man worked over his third point, he said, I never saw it before or since. People laid in the aisles calling upon the mercy of God. That's preaching. David had the prospect of eternity with the Lord, but he also knew that in eternity God is going to set the record straight. Oh, that we might know and have such confidence in God The imprecatory psalms are not only psalms who are in the curses of God or called down upon his enemies, but their psalms were in the psalmist himself, expresses confidence in the righteous acts of a holy God. Oh, may God use this to enable us to take us to heart. Let's pray. Father, we just thank you tonight for the exceeding riches of your grace. We thank you for the revelation that you've given. For we realize that we also, like everyone else, must have dealings with you. And you know not only what we do, but the motive behind it. When we simply read First Samuel, we see what Joeg did, but this psalm gives us the motive behind it. He relied not on thee, O God, but he rested upon gold and upon advancement in this life. O Father, give us a proper perspective of ourselves. and of thy righteousness and holiness, and of the future, for the Lord Jesus' sake. Go with us to our respective homes. Cause our hearts to rejoice in the knowledge thou hast given us of thee, our Lord and our God, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.