King James Version

What Does Psalms 52:5 Mean?

Psalms 52:5 in the King James Version says “God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root th...” — study this verse from Psalms chapter 52 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. destroy: Heb. beat thee down”

Psalms 52:5 · KJV

Context

3

Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

4

Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. O thou: or, and the deceitful tongue

5

God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. destroy: Heb. beat thee down

6

The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

7

Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. wickedness: or, substance

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The divine response: 'God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living.' Four verbs of destruction: destroy, take away, pluck out, root out. The punishment matches the crime--the devourer is devoured, the uprooter is uprooted.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Divine judgment on the wicked often involved removal from the land, the sign of covenant curse. Being 'rooted out' meant the end of family line and memory.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the punishment fit the crime in this verse?
  2. What does it mean to be 'rooted out of the land of the living'?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 11 words
גַּם1 of 11
H1571

properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and

אֵל֮2 of 11

“God”

H410

strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the almighty (but used also of any deity)

יִתָּצְךָ֪3 of 11

“shall likewise destroy”

H5422

to tear down

לָ֫נֶ֥צַח4 of 11

“thee for ever”

H5331

properly, a goal, i.e., the bright object at a distance travelled towards; hence (figuratively), splendor, or (subjectively) truthfulness, or (objecti

יַחְתְּךָ֣5 of 11

“he shall take thee away”

H2846

to lay hold of; especially to pick up fire

וְיִסָּחֲךָ֣6 of 11

“and pluck thee out”

H5255

to tear away

מֵאֹ֑הֶל7 of 11

“of thy dwelling place”

H168

a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)

וְשֵֽׁרֶשְׁךָ֙8 of 11

“and root thee out”

H8327

to root, i.e., strike into the soil, or (by implication) to pluck from it

מֵאֶ֖רֶץ9 of 11

“of the land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

חַיִּ֣ים10 of 11

“of the living”

H2416

alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or livin

סֶֽלָה׃11 of 11

“Selah”

H5542

suspension (of music), i.e., pause

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Psalms. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Psalms 52:5 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Psalms 52:5 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Proverbs 2:22Psalms 27:13Revelation 21:8Psalms 7:14-16Psalms 37:35-36Psalms 120:2-4

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