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Praise to Evil?
“Why is it that you offer praise to evil, oh great one?
The steadfast love of God lasts for all the day.”
(Psalm 52:3 [verse 1 in English translations])
Remember the context, it has just been reported to David that Doeg the Edomite has turned in the family of Achimelek for aiding David. All but Abiathar are murdered at Saul’s command as a result. Thus, the “great one” or “mighty one” in the text is Saul, with David raising the question, “Why do you praise evil works? They are short lived, yet God’s grace endures and will fill you throughout the day.
One of the marvelous aspects of the Psalms, though, is that they are written not just by David for the situation that David happens to find himself in. Instead, David writes them to express his struggle and prayer to God and then gives them to the church — to you and to me — as tools so that we can express our own struggles when similar situations arise. Fortunately, if we reside in America, the chance of someone coming and murdering our whole family because we supported “the other candidate” for leadership in the community is not likely. At the same time, if we live out our faith and challenge the wickedness around us, opposition will arise and there will be times of frustration and grief that will cause you to throw your hands up in the air and your face to the ground seeking deliverance from those who seek to do you ill. For those times, David gives us these psalms to teach us how to express our heart in a way that is honoring to God. Though the situations themselves may vary, the anguish of our heart remains the same. God has provided for our needs in psalms like this.
David, Doeg, and a Maskil
“To the director of music: a Maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite came and declared to Saul, saying to him: ‘David has come to the house of Achimelek.”
(Psalm 52:1-2 [Superscript in English Translations])
Though this psalm can be sung and prayed in many contexts, those with superscripts like this one give us a great deal of help in understanding the context within which the psalm was written. At this point in history, David is still on the run from Saul; he and his men are weary and hungry, and he goes to the priests at Nob (where the Tabernacle was at the time) and received the shewbread as well as Goliath’s sword (1 Samuel 21). Jesus himself refers to this event when he teaches that the Pharisaical restrictions on the Sabbath day did not apply to him or to his disciples (Mark 2:23-28).
What follows is disturbing to say the least. Doeg the Edomite tells Saul that Achimelek (whose name interestingly means: “Brother to the King”) has collaborated with David. While Saul’s own men refuse to strike down the priest of God; Doeg does not share that reservation, takes his men, and slays Achimelek and his family — 85 persons in all. Only Abiathar (whose name means: “My Father Gives Generously”) escapes to warn David (1 Samuel 22).
Thus in his time of distress and righteous anger (for the priests of God were slain), David turns to prayer and writes this psalm. We don’t know whether he wrote it immediately as his response to the news that Abiathar brings or later as he recalls this event, either way, these words reflect his heart’s response in the face of such tragedy.
It raises the question as to how our hearts respond to tragedy as well. Do we resort to prayer? Do we lift our hands in frustration and anger? Or, can we stand with David in utter astonishment at the brazen acts of sinful men and proclaim that we will wait patiently for God to vindicate his name. This does not mean that there is not a time to act, David did often, but often we get confused between the expression of our own difficulties and standing for the honor of our God and King. Also, are the words that come from our mouth in times of trial like these characterized by slander or worship? David’s words have guided the worship of God’s people for generations; can we say the same about our own words uttered at such times?
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