The Defeat of the Wicked by the Lord

Naphtally OgalloPsalm 52

Psalm 52 confronts the believer who watches the wicked prosper, use their tongue to destroy the innocent, and appear to escape all consequence. Working through the psalm's three movements — the boasting of the evildoer, God's fourfold judgment from heaven, and the believing response — the sermon shows that the Lord's steadfast love is the anchor of hope when earthly circumstances seem out of control. The psalm is then read christologically: Christ is contrasted with the wicked who will be destroyed forever, Christ is the righteous one who laughs at his enemies, and Christ is himself the green olive tree in whom the believer finds safety. The sermon calls both believer and unbeliever to stay with Jesus, trusting his timing rather than demanding God act on a human schedule.