It’s hard to imagine this psalm in a song as David is so angry. It was written about when Doeg the Edomite betrayed him, and told Saul of his whereabouts when David was on the run from Saul (1 Sam 22).
Doeg was an evil guy who followed after the money and not after God. He was treacherous, malicious and deceptive.
“You love evil instead of good, lying instead of speaking truthfully. You love any words that destroy, you treacherous tongue!” (Ps 52:3-4).
“The righteous will look on with awe and will ridicule him: “Here is the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, taking refuge in his destructive behavior” (Ps 52:7).
David has little. He has been run out of his own kingdom by Saul. He is fleeing from place to place. He does have the promises of God but they seem almost impossible to be fulfilled. And yet David says he is flourishing.
“But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God; I trust in God’s faithful love forever and ever. I will praise You forever for what You have done. In the presence of Your faithful people, I will put my hope in Your name, for it is good” (Ps 52:8-9).
This truly is so good. We think we need things going right and well in our lives to be flourishing. But this wasn’t the case with David. On the outside, everything was a disaster as he ran from place to place, hunted like a dog. He was tired, hungry and homeless. And yet David says…
“I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God.”
In His relationship with the Lord, he is flourishing. Others might be rich, prosperous, secured, settled and more but they might not be flourishing in the Lord. David here has nothing but it’s Ok. He is flourishing in Him.
So that speaks to us. Do we think we need things going well in our lives to be flourishing in Him? Or can we flourish no matter the circumstances?
