Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Illustration - describe the temporary destruction from the wrath of a tornado and apply that to Doeg; then describe the death done to weeds when they are pulled up by the root (especially Goat-Heads, which thing I hate!)

Main Thought: The Wicked might bring a whirlwind of destruction; but when God finally pulls the weeds of wickedness, they can never plague His people again.

Sub-intro:

Maschil.

An Instructive.

Even the malice of a Doeg may furnish instruction to a David.

[C.

H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 27-57, vol. 2 (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers, n.d.), 426.]

Relate the context of Saul's commissioning of Doeg to slay the priests of Nob for aiding David

Attempt to relate the symmetry of the first four verses describing Doeg's cyclone of treachery and threatening destruction alongside the final five verses of the Psalm following a more linear and evenly flowing layout which speaks to the stability of being firmly planted in God's trust and care.

Describe the national lineage of Doeg:

...the Edomites, although close kin to the Israelites, were bitter enemies of the people of God.

Herod the Great, who massacred the babes of Bethlehem, was an Edomite.

Doeg was an Edomite.

Yet somehow, despite his alien background, he had attained high rank in Israel, for he was chief of Saul’s herdsmen.

[John Phillips, Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary, vol. 1, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Ps 52.]

Body:

I.

The Cyclone of Deceit & Its Wake of Destruction (Ps.

52:1-4).

A. God's Abiding Grace (Ps.

52:1).

The phrase “mighty man” is the equivalent of our “big shot” and was spoken derisively.

Doeg and Saul were mighty in their own eyes but insignificant in God’s eyes; David was insignificant in their eyes but important to God.

David depended on the mercy of the Lord (vv. 1, 8) while Saul and his men depended on themselves and their own resources.

With tongues like honed razors, they issued orders and told lies without considering the consequences (see 5:9; 55:21; 57:4; 59:7; 64:3).

Even when they told the truth—as Doeg did about David—they did it with evil intent because they were possessed by a malignant spirit.

Their words devoured people and destroyed them (see 35:25).

It isn’t difficult to find people like Doeg and Saul in our twenty-first century world.

[Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Worshipful, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 190.]

In the midst of this arraignment how impressive is the thought, "the goodness of God endureth continually" (1).

It is the answer to the preceding question.

The boasting of the wicked against the righteous cannot avail, for God's goodness to the latter "endures all the day."

Are you the victim of malicious talk?

God's love is all around you as an ocean round an island.

[Scroggie, The Guide to the Psalms]

Psalm 52, like Psalm 49, is an instructional poem (Gerstenberger 1988:216) that forces us to examine our hearts to find out the source of our security in life (McCann 1996:890).

The opening line sets before us two alternatives: We can find our security in ourselves or in the unfailing love of God.

The rest of the psalm unpacks these two alternatives in two strophes: security in self (52:1–5) or security in God (52:6–9).

[Mark D. Futato, “The Book of Psalms,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 187.]

B. Wicked Tongues Work Deceit (Ps.

52:2, 4b).

C. Twisted Delights at Devouring Treachery (Ps.

52:3a, 4a).

Note Boice's application to our tongue:

Portrait of a Very Wicked Man

As we read the first stanza of this historical psalm, we find Doeg’s evil character described in three aspects.

First, he was proud.

The word used in the psalm is boast, and it occurs twice, both times in verse 1: ...it is that of a smug self-sufficiency that does not parade itself openly simply because it is so convinced of its superiority....

Second, Doeg loved evil.

Verse 3 says ...

Third, Doeg used words as his weapon.

At first glance this does not seem so bad to us.

In fact, it seems out of place.

We know that boasting is bad, and loving evil is bad by definition.

But words?

Words seem relatively harmless.

Yet when we look carefully at the stanza we see that this is the vice most emphasized.

[Read vv.

2-4]

This tells us something about the nature of falsehood, deceit, and lies as well as the potentially murderous effects of words.

It teaches that words are not morally neutral.

They are a powerful force either for evil or good.

Yet the statements of the psalm do something else too.

They also bring this denunciation of Doeg’s character closer to us and warn us of the evil of which we are capable.

Believers in Jesus Christ should not be able to see themselves as people who love evil.

In fact, if they do love evil rather than good, they are not Christians.

Neither should they be able to be described as those who are self-satisfied, clever, or absorbed in their intrigues.

But words?

Failing to tell the truth?

Deceit?

These are things that come much closer to where we live and are a rebuke to any loose talk or less than honest or upright conversation.

If this were not a danger for us, why would James have written about the harm the tongue can do in that extensive treatment found in chapter 3? [Read James 3:5-10]

The whole passage is sobering, but especially those last words: “Brothers, this should not be.”

“Brothers” means Christians.

So this is a statement that believers in Christ are sometimes guilty of the same vice seen in wicked Doeg and that they do corresponding harm.

[James Montgomery Boice, Psalms 42–106: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005), 439–441.]

D. The Eye of the Storm of Lies (v.

3b).

You have heard it said of some people that they would rather tell a lie even when it would have been easier to tell the truth.

[J.

Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary, electronic ed., vol. 2 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 767.]

II.

The Song of the LORD's Doings and Works of Deliverance (Ps.

52:5-9).

A. The Wicked Shall Be Destroyed Forever (Ps.

52:5).

Verse 5.—“God shall destroy thee for ever,” etc.

There are four words the Psalmist makes use of to denote the utter vengeance that awaited this deceitful and bloody wretch, all of them having a very strong meaning.

The first, תָּצךָ from נָתַץ, signifies to pull down, and break utterly into pieces; as when an altar is demolished.

(Judges 6:30; 8:9.)

The second, יַחְתְּךָ from the root חָתָה, which signifies to twist anything, or pluck it up by twisting it round, as trees are sometimes twisted up.

The third, יִסָּחֲךָ from נַסַח, which properly signifies utterly to sweep away anything like dust or chaff; and the expression יסָּתֲךָ מֵאֹהָל means not sweep thee away from thy tent, but, sweep thee away, that thou mayest be no longer a tent; thyself, thy family, thy fortune, shall be wholly and entirely swept away, and dissipated for ever; to which the fourth word, שֵׁרֶשְׁך, answers, eradicabit te, he shall root thee out from the land of the living.

’Tis impossible words can express a more entire and absolute destruction.—Samuel

Chandler.

[C.

H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 27-57, vol. 2 (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers, n.d.), 429.]

Note Futato's Application of the first five verses:

Security in Self (52:1–5).

Psalm 52:1 provides a synopsis of the whole psalm.

Those who boast about their “crimes” are those who trust in their own power.

“Boasting in” and “trusting in” are not identical concepts, but they are closely related.

It is easy for us to trust in that which we can boast in, as 49:6 shows: “They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.”

Finding security in our wealth is a theme in Psalm 49 that is picked up in this psalm as well (52:7), but Psalm 52 focuses on finding security in our own power, the power of a warrior bringing harm to others.