“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in Godʼs unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.”
Psalm 52:8‭-‬9

Psalm 52 is a “tale of 2 men”! Man #1 was named Doeg. He was an Edomite who had served King Saul as his primary herdsman. King Saul was very jealous of David because God’s Holy Spirit had departed from him (Saul) and because God’s favor was upon David to the point that people actually sang a song saying that Saul had defeated thousands, while David had defeated tens of thousands. In his rage, Saul was trying to kill David and was chasing him all over Israel. In I Samuel 21-22, Doeg not only gives Saul David’s location, but also shows his disdain for God, himself, by killing 85 of God’s priests who Saul was mad at for helping David. Apparently, Doeg was very boastful about his actions, thus Psalm 52.
In verse 8, David compares himself with the arrogance of Doeg that we find in verses 1-7. Doeg, in verses 1-7, is described as boastful, evil, arrogant, a disgrace, decietful, conniving, sharp-tongued and as one loving deciefulness. David predicts that his end will be in destruction and that people would say of him, “Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!”

David was man #2. David compares himself to an “olive tree flourishing in the house of God”. Olive trees, indigenous to the middle east, are very hardy and productive trees. There are groves of fruit-bearing olive trees in Israel and Greece that are estimated to be over 2000 years old! David compares himself to an olive tree that’s florishing in God’s house (in contrast to his godless rival). He expects a long, productive life.

He expects to be hardy and disease resistant. He, a God-loving and God- fearing man, expects to himself to out- last, out-live and out- produce his counterpart. Why? Not because he’s like an olive tree, but BECAUSE HE’S PLANTED IN GOD’S PRESENCE AND PRINCIPLES!

He says, “I trust in Godʼs unfailing love for ever and ever”. In other words, I trust that God’s love for me will never change and is enough for eternity! He also says thats he’s going to praise God, out loud and with a long duration of time,  for what He’s done for David-after all, between he and Saul and Doeg, HE WAS THE ONE WHO LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO WRITE THE PSALM!

Lastly, David says that he will HOPE in Godʼs Name, for God’s Name is GOOD! David had seen many things in life that weren’t so good. He knew God’s love to be consistant, forgiving and eternal. He had, at this point in his life, out-lived all his rivals. He had obeyed God and followed God most of his life. God had rescued him multiple times and had grown his kingdom to its historical summit, because David, the king knew God personally and knew his kingdom was really God’s Kingdom and that God was really the King of His Kingdom!

God is the same today as He was in David’s time! His love hasn’t changed and His control over everything that occurs in His universe hasn’t changed. He desires a personal relationship with you, the same as he had with David! Call out to Him today! Give Him your life and trust Him to do the rest! His love for you is the same as it was for David. God is for you, not against you! Trust in Him today! Think about it!