Psalm 50:1–51:19

1 The aMighty One, God the Lord,

Has spoken and called the earth

From the rising of the sun to its going down.

2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

bGod will shine forth.

3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;

cA fire shall devour before Him,

And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.

4 dHe shall call to the heavens from above,

And to the earth, that He may judge His people:

5 “Gather eMy saints together to Me,

fThose who have 1made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

6 Let the gheavens declare His righteousness,

For hGod Himself is Judge.

Selah

7 “Hear, O My people, and I will speak,

O Israel, and I will testify against you;

iI am God, your God!

8 jI will not 2rebuke you kfor your sacrifices

Or your burnt offerings,

Which are continually before Me.

9 lI will not take a bull from your house,

Nor goats out of your folds.

10 For every beast of the forest is Mine,

And the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know all the birds of the mountains,

And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

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

mFor the world is Mine, and all its fullness.

13 nWill I eat the flesh of bulls,

Or drink the blood of goats?

14 oOffer to God thanksgiving,

And ppay your vows to the Most High.

15 qCall upon Me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

16 But to the wicked God says:

“What right have you to declare My statutes,

Or take My covenant in your mouth,

17 rSeeing you hate instruction

And cast My words behind you?

18 When you saw a thief, you sconsented 3with him,

And have been a tpartaker with adulterers.

19 You give your mouth to evil,

And uyour tongue frames deceit.

20 You sit and speak against your brother;

You slander your own mother’s son.

21 These things you have done, and I kept silent;

vYou thought that I was altogether like you;

But I will rebuke you,

And wset them in order before your eyes.

22 “Now consider this, you who xforget God,

Lest I tear you in pieces,

And there be none to deliver:

23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;

And yto him who orders his conduct aright

I will show the salvation of God.”

Psalm 51

A Prayer of Repentance

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David aWhen Nathan the Prophet Went to Him, After He Had Gone in to Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy upon me, O God,

According to Your lovingkindness;

According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,

bBlot out my transgressions.

2 cWash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,

And my sin is always before me.

4 dAgainst You, You only, have I sinned,

And done this evil ein Your sight—

fThat You may be found just 1when You speak,

And blameless when You judge.

5 gBehold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,

And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

7 hPurge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be iwhiter than snow.

8 Make me hear joy and gladness,

That the bones You have broken jmay rejoice.

9 Hide Your face from my sins,

And blot out all my iniquities.

10 kCreate in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take Your lHoly Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,

And uphold me by Your mgenerous Spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners shall be converted to You.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,

The God of my salvation,

And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,

And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

16 For nYou do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;

You do not delight in burnt offering.

17 oThe sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and a contrite heart—

These, O God, You will not despise.

18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then You shall be pleased with pthe sacrifices of righteousness,

With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;

Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.