Psalm 52

This psalm is angry.  There is just no two ways about it, the author was angry, expresses anger, and is far from happy.  However, as with several psalms, the mood shifts in the last two verses. The poet is no longer admonishing the proud; rather the poet effusively praises God.  To portray both of these emotional characteristics musically I wrote two sections.  The first section is dissonant with lots of crunchy chords. The second section has the same soprano and bass lines, but the harmonies are both more consonant and traditionally functional. 

1. You tyrant, why do you | boast of | wickedness *
    against the | godly | all day | long?

2. You plot ruin;
    your tongue is like | a sharpened |  razor, *
    O |worker | of de- | ception.

3. You love evil | more than | good *
    and lying | more than | speaking the | truth.

4. You love all | words that | hurt, *
    | O you | deceitful | tongue.

5. Oh, that God would de- | molish you | utterly, *
    topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling,
    and root you out of | the land | of the | living!

6. The righteous shall | see and | tremble, *
    and they | shall laugh | at him, | saying,

7. "This is the one who did not take God | for a | refuge, *
    but trusted in great wealth and | relied | upon | wickedness."

8. But I am like a green olive tree in the | house of | God; *
    I trust in the mercy of | God for | ever and | ever.

9. I will give you thanks for what | you have | done *
    and declare the goodness of your Name in | the presence | of the | godly.