Psalm 50–52

Psalm 50

A psalm by Asaph. 

¹The Lord, the only true God, has spoken. 

He has summoned the earth 

from where the sun rises to where it sets. 

²God shines from Zion, 

the perfection of beauty. 

³Our God will come and will not remain silent. 

A devouring fire is in front of him 

and a raging storm around him. 

⁴He summons heaven and earth to judge his people: 

⁵“Gather around me, my godly people 

who have made a pledge to me through sacrifices.” 

⁶The heavens announce his righteousness 

because God is the judge. 

Selah 

⁷“Listen, my people, and I will speak. 

Listen, Israel, and I will testify against you: 

I am God, your God! 

⁸I am not criticizing you for your sacrifices or burnt offerings, 

which are always in front of me. 

⁹⸤But⸥ I will not accept ⸤another⸥ young bull from your household 

or a single male goat from your pens. 

¹⁰Every creature in the forest, 

⸤even⸥ the cattle on a thousand hills, is mine. 

¹¹I know every bird in the mountains. 

Everything that moves in the fields is mine. 

¹²If I were hungry, I would not tell you, 

because the world and all that it contains are mine. 

¹³Do I eat the meat of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 

¹⁴Bring ⸤your⸥ thanks to God as a sacrifice, 

and keep your vows to the Most High. 

¹⁵Call on me in times of trouble. 

I will rescue you, and you will honor me.” 

¹⁶But God says to wicked people, 

“How dare you quote my decrees 

and mouth my promises!^a

¹⁷You hate discipline. 

You toss my words behind you. 

¹⁸When you see a thief, you want to make friends with him. 

You keep company with people who commit adultery. 

¹⁹You let your mouth say anything evil. 

Your tongue plans deceit. 

²⁰You sit and talk against your own brother. 

You slander your own mother’s son. 

²¹When you did these things, I remained silent. 

⸤That⸥ made you think I was like you. 

I will argue my point with you 

and lay it all out for you to see. 

²²Consider this, you people who forget God. 

Otherwise, I will tear you to pieces, 

and there will be no one left to rescue you. 

²³Whoever offers thanks as a sacrifice honors me. 

I will let everyone who continues in my way 

see the salvation that comes from God.” 

Psalm 51

For the choir director; a psalm by David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David’s adultery with Bathsheba. 

¹Have pity on me, O God, in keeping with your mercy. 

In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts. 

²Wash me thoroughly from my guilt, 

and cleanse me from my sin. 

³I admit that I am rebellious. 

My sin is always in front of me. 

⁴I have sinned against you, especially you. 

I have done what you consider evil. 

So you hand down justice when you speak, 

and you are blameless when you judge. 

⁵Indeed, I was born guilty. 

I was a sinner when my mother conceived me. 

⁶Yet, you desire truth and sincerity. 

Deep down inside me you teach me wisdom. 

⁷Purify me from sin with hyssop,^band I will be clean.^c

Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 

⁸Let me hear ⸤sounds of⸥ joy and gladness. 

Let the bones that you have broken dance. 

⁹Hide your face from my sins, 

and wipe out all that I have done wrong. 

¹⁰Create a clean heart in me, O God, 

and renew a faithful spirit within me. 

¹¹Do not force me away from your presence, 

and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. 

¹²Restore the joy of your salvation to me, 

and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience. 

¹³⸤Then⸥ I will teach your ways to those who are rebellious, 

and sinners will return to you. 

¹⁴Rescue me from the guilt of murder, 

O God, my savior. 

Let my tongue sing joyfully about your righteousness! 

¹⁵O Lord, open my lips, 

and my mouth will tell about your praise. 

¹⁶You are not happy with any sacrifice. 

Otherwise, I would offer one ⸤to you⸥. 

You are not pleased with burnt offerings. 

¹⁷The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. 

O God, you do not despise a broken and sorrowful heart. 

¹⁸Favor Zion with your goodness. 

Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 

¹⁹Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— 

with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. 

Young bulls will be offered on your altar. 

Psalm 52

For the choir director; a maskil; a psalm by David when Doeg (who was from Edom) told Saul that David had come to Ahimelech’s home. 

¹Why do you brag about the evil you’ve done, you hero? 

The mercy of God lasts all day long! 

²Your tongue makes up threats. 

It’s like a sharp razor, you master of deceit. 

³You prefer evil to good. 

You prefer lying to speaking the truth. 

Selah 

⁴You love every destructive accusation, you deceitful tongue! 

⁵But God will ruin you forever. 

He will grab you and drag you out of your tent. 

He will pull your roots out of this world of the living. 

Selah 

⁶Righteous people will see ⸤this⸥ and be struck with fear. 

They will laugh at you and say, 

⁷“Look at this person who refused to make God his fortress! 

Instead, he trusted his great wealth 

and became strong through his greed.” 

⁸But I am like a large olive tree in God’s house. 

I trust the mercy of God forever and ever. 

⁹I will give thanks to you forever 

for what you have done. 

In the presence of your godly people, 

I will wait with hope in your good name.