Psalms 52:7
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.
Study Note
Study Note
'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' — the righteous community's taunt-reflection on the wicked man's fall identifies the root of his destruction: he chose wealth and power rather than God as his foundational resource. The Hebrew 'ma'oz' (strength, fortress, refuge) is a key term in the Psalter for divine protective power (Psalms 27:1; 28:8; 46:1), and its rejection in favor of riches constitutes a fundamental theological inversion — self-sufficiency substituted for God-dependency. Luke 12:19–21 echoes this analysis in the Rich Fool parable: life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.
Other Translations
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.
`Lo, the man who maketh not God his strong place, And trusteth in the abundance of his riches, He is strong in his mischiefs.'
See, this is the man who did not make God his strength, but had faith in his goods and his property, and made himself strong in his wealth.
Cross References
If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the …
Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.