Psalm 51–53

Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

¹God, show me your favor

in keeping with your faithful love.

Because your love is so tender and kind,

wipe out my lawless acts.

²Wash away all of the evil things I’ve done.

Make me pure from my sin.

³I know the lawless acts I’ve committed.

I can’t forget my sin.

⁴You are the one I’ve really sinned against.

I’ve done what is evil in your sight.

So you are right when you sentence me.

You are fair when you judge me.

⁵I know I’ve been a sinner ever since I was born.

I’ve been a sinner ever since my mother became pregnant with me.

⁶I know that you want truth to be in my heart.

You teach me wisdom deep down inside me.

⁷Make me pure by sprinkling me with hyssop plant. Then I will be clean.

Wash me. Then I will be whiter than snow.

⁸Let me hear you say, “Your sins are forgiven.”

That will bring me joy and gladness.

Let the body you have broken be glad.

⁹Take away all of my sins.

Wipe away all of the evil things I’ve done.

¹⁰God, create a pure heart in me.

Give me a new spirit that is faithful to you.

¹¹Don’t send me away from you.

Don’t take your Holy Spirit away from me.

¹²Give me back the joy that comes from being saved by you.

Give me a spirit that obeys you. That will keep me going.

¹³Then I will teach your ways to those who commit lawless acts.

And sinners will turn back to you.

¹⁴You are the God who saves me.

I have committed murder.

Take away my guilt.

Then my tongue will sing about how right you are

no matter what you do.

¹⁵Lord, open my lips so that I can speak.

Then my mouth will praise you.

¹⁶You don’t take delight in sacrifice.

If you did, I would bring it.

You don’t take pleasure in burnt offerings.

¹⁷The greatest sacrifice you want is a broken spirit.

God, you will gladly accept a heart

that is broken because of sadness over sin.

¹⁸May you be pleased to give Zion success.

Build up the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then holy sacrifices will be offered in the right way.

Whole burnt offerings will bring delight to you.

And bulls will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 52

For the director of music. A maskil of David when Doeg, who was from Edom, had gone to Saul. Doeg had told Saul, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”

¹You think you are such a big, strong man!

Why do you brag about the evil things you’ve done?

You are a dishonor to God all the time.

²You plan ways to destroy others.

Your tongue is like a blade that has a sharp edge.

You are always telling lies.

³You love evil instead of good.

You would rather lie than tell the truth. Selah

⁴You love to harm others with your words, you liar!

⁵So God will destroy you forever.

He will grab hold of you and throw you out of your tent.

He will remove you from this life. Selah

⁶Those who do what is right will see it and learn a lesson from it.

They will laugh at you and say,

⁷“Just look at this fellow!

He didn’t depend on God for his safety.

He put his trust in all his wealth.

He grew strong by destroying others!”

⁸But I am like a healthy olive tree.

My roots are deep in the house of God.

I trust in your faithful love

for ever and ever.

⁹I will praise you forever for what you have done.

I will put my hope in you because you are good.

I will praise you when I’m with your faithful people.

Psalm 53

For the director of music. For mahalath. A maskil of David.

¹Foolish people say in their hearts,

“There is no God.”

They do all kinds of horrible and evil things.

No one does anything good.

²God looks down from heaven

on all people.

He wants to see if there are any who understand.

He wants to see if there are any who trust in God.

³All of them have turned away.

They have all become evil.

No one does anything good,

no one at all.

⁴Won’t those who do evil ever learn?

They eat up my people as if they were eating bread.

They don’t call out to God for help.

⁵Just look at them! They are filled with terror

even when there is nothing to be afraid of!

People of Israel, God will scatter the bones of those who attack you.

You will put them to shame, because God hates them.

⁶How I pray that the One who saves Israel will come out of Zion!

God will bless his people with great success again.

So let the people of Jacob be filled with joy! Let Israel be glad!