Psalm 52:6
New International Version
The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at you, saying,

New Living Translation
The righteous will see it and be amazed. They will laugh and say,

English Standard Version
The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying,

Berean Standard Bible
The righteous will see and fear; they will mock the evildoer, saying,

King James Bible
The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

New King James Version
The righteous also shall see and fear, And shall laugh at him, saying,

New American Standard Bible
The righteous will see and fear, And they will laugh at him, saying,

NASB 1995
The righteous will see and fear, And will laugh at him, saying,

NASB 1977
And the righteous will see and fear, And will laugh at him, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
So that the righteous will see and fear, And will laugh at him, saying,

Amplified Bible
The righteous will see it and fear, And will [scoffingly] laugh, saying,

Christian Standard Bible
The righteous will see and fear, and they will derisively say about that hero,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The righteous will look on with awe and will ridicule him:”

American Standard Version
The righteous also shall see it, and fear, And shall laugh at him, saying,

Contemporary English Version
When good people see this fearsome sight, they will laugh and say,

English Revised Version
The righteous also shall see it, and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Righteous people will see [this] and be struck with fear. They will laugh at you and say,

Good News Translation
Righteous people will see this and be afraid; then they will laugh at you and say,

International Standard Version
The righteous will fear when they see this, but then they will laugh at him, saying,

Majority Standard Bible
The righteous will see and fear; they will mock the evildoer, saying,

NET Bible
When the godly see this, they will be filled with awe, and will mock the evildoer, saying:

New Heart English Bible
The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

World English Bible
The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the righteous see, "" And fear, and laugh at him.

Young's Literal Translation
And the righteous see, And fear, and laugh at him.

Smith's Literal Translation
The original Julia E. Smith Bible records the following as a verse reference for Ps 52:8And the just shall see and fear, and laugh at him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say:

Catholic Public Domain Version
The just will see and be afraid, and they will laugh over him, and say:

New American Bible
The righteous will see and they will fear; but they will laugh at him:

New Revised Standard Version
The righteous will see, and fear, and will laugh at the evildoer, saying,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then shall the righteous see and rejoice, and shall trust in the LORD;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For the righteous will see and will rejoice and they will hope in LORD JEHOVAH.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The righteous also shall see, and fear, And shall laugh at him:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the righteous shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Why Do You Boast of Evil?
5Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah 6The righteous will see and fear; they will mock the evildoer, saying, 7“Look at the man who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself by destruction.”…

Cross References
Proverbs 3:34
He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.

James 4:6
But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Psalm 37:34-36
Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will raise you up to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it. / I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, / yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.

Psalm 58:10-11
The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. / Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”

Proverbs 11:10
When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

Proverbs 21:15
Justice executed is a joy to the righteous, but a terror to the workers of iniquity.

Isaiah 66:24
“As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind.”

Matthew 13:41-43
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. / And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. / Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Luke 6:25
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

Luke 16:25
But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.

Revelation 18:20
Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.

Revelation 19:1-2
After this I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude in heaven, shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God! / For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.”

Job 22:19
The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:

Psalm 64:7-9
But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be wounded. / They will be made to stumble, their own tongues turned against them. All who see will shake their heads. / Then all mankind will fear and proclaim the work of God; so they will ponder what He has done.


Treasury of Scripture

The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

righteous

Psalm 37:34
Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

Psalm 64:9
And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

Psalm 97:8
Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.

and fear

Psalm 40:3
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Psalm 119:120
My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

laugh

Psalm 58:10,11
The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked…

Isaiah 37:22
This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

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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














The righteous will see and fear;
This phrase highlights the response of the righteous to God's judgment on the wicked. In biblical context, "the righteous" refers to those who live in accordance with God's laws and seek His will. The concept of fearing God is a recurring theme in Scripture, often associated with reverence and awe rather than terror. Proverbs 9:10 states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," indicating that this fear leads to a deeper understanding of God's nature and His justice. The righteous witnessing God's actions serves as a reminder of His power and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

they will mock the evildoer, saying,
Mocking the evildoer reflects a reversal of fortunes, where those who once seemed powerful and untouchable are now subjects of scorn. This is consistent with the biblical theme of divine justice, where the proud and wicked are brought low. In the cultural context of the ancient Near East, public shaming was a significant form of social punishment. This mocking is not merely ridicule but a recognition of God's righteous judgment. It echoes the sentiment found in Proverbs 3:34, "He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed." The righteous, by observing God's justice, affirm their faith in His moral order and the eventual downfall of those who oppose Him.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 52, David wrote this psalm in response to the treachery of Doeg the Edomite, who betrayed him to King Saul.

2. Doeg the Edomite
A servant of King Saul who informed Saul of David's visit to Ahimelech the priest, leading to the massacre of the priests at Nob.

3. The Righteous
Those who live in accordance with God's will and are contrasted with the wicked in this psalm.

4. The Evildoer
Represents those who act wickedly and oppose God's ways, exemplified by Doeg in the context of this psalm.

5. Fear of the Lord
A recurring biblical theme, representing reverence and awe towards God, often leading to wisdom and righteous living.
Teaching Points
The Righteous Response
The righteous are called to observe the downfall of the wicked and learn from it, cultivating a deeper reverence for God.

Fear as Reverence
The fear mentioned here is not terror but a profound respect and awe for God's justice and power.

Mocking the Evildoer
This is not about derision but recognizing the futility of opposing God. It serves as a warning to avoid the path of wickedness.

God's Justice Prevails
The psalm reassures believers that God's justice will ultimately prevail, encouraging them to remain steadfast in righteousness.

Living with Integrity
The righteous are encouraged to live with integrity, trusting that God sees and will reward their faithfulness.(6) Fear . . . laugh.--The mingled feelings of awe at the tyrant's terrible fall, and exultation at his overthrow, are finely caught and described.

Dwelling-place.--Better, tent.

Root thee out.--This word, suggestive of rooting up a corrupt tree, becomes more forcible from the contrast in the figure of Psalm 52:8.

Verse 6. - The righteous also shall see, and fear. Every manifestation of the Divine power and justice produces in the righteous man a feeling of awe. And shall laugh at him; literally, over him. This awe does not, however, prevent him from indulging in something like derision of his fallen enemy - or, at least, it did not under the old covenant, when men had not yet been taught that they ought to "love" their enemies.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The righteous
צַדִּיקִ֥ים (ṣad·dî·qîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

will see
וְיִרְא֖וּ (wə·yir·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

and fear;
וְיִירָ֗אוּ (wə·yî·rā·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

they will mock [the evildoer], saying,
יִשְׂחָֽקוּ׃ (yiś·ḥā·qū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7832: To laugh, to play


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OT Poetry: Psalm 52:6 The righteous also will see it (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 52:5
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