Psalm 52

A song of confidence in God's judgement of the wicked and blessing of the upright.

The title references a story found in I Samuel 21 and 22.   David is fleeing from king Saul, who seeks to murder him.  He flees to Nob, a city of priests and is given food and provisions (long story short!).   He doesn't realize that Doeg, the Edomite, a servant of Saul is there also, witnessing the transactions.  David leaves there and flees to Gath (where he has to pretend insanity to escape them! and writes Psalm 34 in memory of that!)

After David's departure, Doeg tells Saul what he saw.  Saul then proceeds to have, at Doeg's hand, 82 of the priests murdered, as well as men, women, infants, children and animals in the city of Nob.  

Surely David hears of this.   And thus we have Psalm 52.   While applicable to the particular situation, it has more extensive application also.

Why do you boast of evil, and love it?  You are deceitful and destructive.  (recall Psalm 50....God will not overlook sin).  He will deal harshly with you!  When He does, the righteous will see it and will 'fear'.  'Fear' refers to learning from the example, which elicits awe and reverence for God.  They will laugh.....because they boasted in their own strength and ability rather than trusting in God, which results in their demise.

Whereas the wicked will be 'torn from (his) tent and be uprooted from the land of the living', the righteous is compared to an olive tree.....which can live for hundreds of years, producing much fruit.  The righteous place their trust in God, not in themselves, and live(eternal life).   But the wicked trust in their own devices and die(eternal death).  

This knowledge is cause for much praise of the Almighty God!

I wish we had the rest of the story for Doeg.  But I don't think it is recorded.