The Meaning of Psalms 52:5 Explained

Psalms 52:5

KJV: 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.

YLT: Also -- God doth break thee down for ever, Taketh thee, and pulleth thee out of the tent, And He hath uprooted thee Out of the land of the living. Selah.

Darby: God shall likewise destroy thee for ever; he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy tent, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

ASV: God will likewise destroy thee for ever; He will take thee up, and pluck thee out of thy tent, And root thee out of the land of the living. Selah

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 52:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Since God had promised to bless the righteous with long life and to punish the wicked with death ( Deuteronomy 28), David was confident He would slay the deceiver eventually.

Context Summary

Psalm 52:1-9 - The Boaster And The Truster
The inscription of this psalm describes its origin. The contrast which it presents is full of instruction. The ungodly is often a mighty man in the estimation of the world. He boasts mischief; his tongue resembles the razor, which inflicts sharp and deep wounds; his words devour reputations, family-peace, and souls.
What a contrast is presented by the humble believer who trusts, not in wealth which vanishes, but in God's mercy which abides forever! Psalms 52:1-8. As the olives grew around the humble forest sanctuary at Nob, where the tragedy which called forth this psalm took place, and were hallowed by the shrine they encompassed, so the believer grows and is safe in loving fellowship with his Almighty Friend. Let us be among God's evergreens, drawing our nutriment from Him, as the roots struck into the rich mold. The psalmist is so certain of vindication and so assured of the overthrow of wickedness that he celebrates God's interposition before it takes place, and accounts it as being already accomplished. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 52

1  David, condemning the spitefulness of Doeg, prophesies his destruction
6  The righteous shall rejoice at it
8  David, upon his confidence in God's mercy, gives thanks

What do the individual words in Psalms 52:5 mean?

Likewise God shall destroy you forever He shall take you away and pluck you out of [your] dwelling place and uproot you from the land of the living Selah
גַּם־ אֵל֮ יִתָּצְךָ֪ לָ֫נֶ֥צַח יַחְתְּךָ֣ וְיִסָּחֲךָ֣ מֵאֹ֑הֶל וְשֵֽׁרֶשְׁךָ֨ מֵאֶ֖רֶץ חַיִּ֣ים סֶֽלָה

גַּם־  Likewise 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אֵל֮  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
יִתָּצְךָ֪  shall  destroy  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: נָתַץ  
Sense: to pull down, break down, cast down, throw down, beat down, destroy, overthrow, break out (teeth).
לָ֫נֶ֥צַח  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵצַח  
Sense: eminence, perpetuity, strength, victory, enduring, everlastingness.
יַחְתְּךָ֣  He  shall  take  you  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: חָתָה  
Sense: (Qal) to take hold of, seize, take away, pile up, snatch up (coals).
וְיִסָּחֲךָ֣  and  pluck  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: נָסַח  
Sense: to pull or tear away.
מֵאֹ֑הֶל  out  of  [your]  dwelling  place 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
וְשֵֽׁרֶשְׁךָ֨  and  uproot  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁרַשׁ  
Sense: to uproot, take root, deal with the roots.
מֵאֶ֖רֶץ  from  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
חַיִּ֣ים  of  the  living 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
סֶֽלָה  Selah 
Parse: Interjection
Root: סֶלָה  
Sense: to lift up, exalt.