Psalms 52:5

Authorized King James Version

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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.

Original Language Analysis

גַּם H1571
גַּם
Strong's: H1571
Word #: 1 of 11
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
אֵל֮ God H410
אֵל֮ God
Strong's: H410
Word #: 2 of 11
strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the almighty (but used also of any deity)
יִתָּצְךָ֪ shall likewise destroy H5422
יִתָּצְךָ֪ shall likewise destroy
Strong's: H5422
Word #: 3 of 11
to tear down
לָ֫נֶ֥צַח thee for ever H5331
לָ֫נֶ֥צַח thee for ever
Strong's: H5331
Word #: 4 of 11
properly, a goal, i.e., the bright object at a distance travelled towards; hence (figuratively), splendor, or (subjectively) truthfulness, or (objecti
יַחְתְּךָ֣ he shall take thee away H2846
יַחְתְּךָ֣ he shall take thee away
Strong's: H2846
Word #: 5 of 11
to lay hold of; especially to pick up fire
וְיִסָּחֲךָ֣ and pluck thee out H5255
וְיִסָּחֲךָ֣ and pluck thee out
Strong's: H5255
Word #: 6 of 11
to tear away
מֵאֹ֑הֶל of thy dwelling place H168
מֵאֹ֑הֶל of thy dwelling place
Strong's: H168
Word #: 7 of 11
a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)
וְשֵֽׁרֶשְׁךָ֙ and root thee out H8327
וְשֵֽׁרֶשְׁךָ֙ and root thee out
Strong's: H8327
Word #: 8 of 11
to root, i.e., strike into the soil, or (by implication) to pluck from it
מֵאֶ֖רֶץ of the land H776
מֵאֶ֖רֶץ of the land
Strong's: H776
Word #: 9 of 11
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
חַיִּ֣ים of the living H2416
חַיִּ֣ים of the living
Strong's: H2416
Word #: 10 of 11
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or livin
סֶֽלָה׃ Selah H5542
סֶֽלָה׃ Selah
Strong's: H5542
Word #: 11 of 11
suspension (of music), i.e., pause

Analysis & Commentary

The divine response: '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.' Four verbs of destruction: destroy, take away, pluck out, root out. The punishment matches the crime--the devourer is devoured, the uprooter is uprooted.

Historical Context

Divine judgment on the wicked often involved removal from the land, the sign of covenant curse. Being 'rooted out' meant the end of family line and memory.

Questions for Reflection