Psalms 51-53

Psalm 51

¹To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Have pity on me, O God, in your mercy; out of a full heart, take away my sin.

²Let all my wrongdoing be washed away, and make me clean from evil.

³For I am conscious of my error; my sin is ever before me.

⁴Against you, you only, have I done wrong, working that which is evil in your eyes; so that your words may be seen to be right, and you may be clear when you are judging.

⁵Truly, I was formed in evil, and in sin did my mother give me birth.

⁶Your desire is for what is true in the inner parts: in the secrets of my soul you will give me knowledge of wisdom.

⁷Make me free from sin with hyssop: let me be washed whiter than snow.

⁸Make me full of joy and rapture; so that the bones which have been broken may be glad.

⁹Let your face be turned from my wrongdoing, and take away all my sins.

¹⁰Make a clean heart in me, O God; give me a right spirit again.

¹¹Do not put me away from before you, or take your holy spirit from me.

¹²Give me back the joy of your salvation; let a free spirit be my support.

¹³Then will I make your ways clear to wrongdoers; and sinners will be turned to you.

¹⁴Be my saviour from violent death, O God, the God of my salvation; and my tongue will give praise to your righteousness.

¹⁵O Lord, let my lips be open, so that my mouth may make clear your praise.

¹⁶You have no desire for an offering or I would give it; you have no delight in burned offerings.

¹⁷The offerings of God are a broken spirit; a broken and sorrowing heart, O God, you will not put from you.

¹⁸Do good to Zion in your good pleasure, building up the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then you will have delight in the offerings of righteousness, in burned offerings and offerings of beasts; then they will make offerings of oxen on your altar.

Psalm 52

¹To the chief music-maker. Maschil. Of David. When Doeg the Edomite came to Saul saying, David has come to the house of Ahimelech. Why do you take pride in wrongdoing, lifting yourself up against the upright man all the day?

²Purposing destruction, using deceit; your tongue is like a sharp blade.

³You have more love for evil than for good, for deceit than for works of righteousness. (Selah.)

⁴Destruction is in all your words, O false tongue.

⁵But God will put an end to you for ever; driving you out from your tent, uprooting you from the land of the living. (Selah.)

⁶The upright will see it with fear, and will say, laughing at you:

⁷See, this is the man who did not make God his strength, but had faith in his goods and his property, and made himself strong in his wealth.

⁸But I am like a branching olive-tree in the house of God; I have put my faith in his mercy for ever and ever.

⁹I will give you praise without end for what you have done; I will give honour to your name before your saints, for it is good.

Psalm 53

¹To the chief music-maker; put to Mahalath. Maschil. Of David. The foolish man has said in his heart, God will not do anything. They are unclean, they have done evil works; there is not one who does good.

²God was looking down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who had wisdom, searching after God.

³Every one of them has gone back; they are unclean: there is not one who does good, no, not one.

⁴Have the workers of evil no knowledge? they take my people for food, as they would take bread; they make no prayer to God.

⁵They were in great fear, where there was no cause for fear: for the bones of those who make war on you have been broken by God; you have put them to shame, because God has no desire for them.

⁶May the salvation of Israel come out of Zion! When the fate of his people is changed by God, Jacob will have joy, and Israel will be glad.