Psalms 51–53

1Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin.

3For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me.

4Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight, so you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge.

5Behold, I was born in iniquity. My mother conceived me in sin.

6Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8Let me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which you have broken may rejoice.

9Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.

11Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

12Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit.

13Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you.

14Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

15Lord, open my lips. My mouth will declare your praise.

16For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. O God, you will not despise a broken and contrite heart.

18Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings. Then they will offer bulls on your altar.

1Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually.

2Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

3You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah.

4You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue.

5God will likewise destroy you forever. He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. Selah.

6The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying,

7“Behold, this is the man who didn’t make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.”

8But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house. I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever.

9I will give you thanks forever, because you have done it. I will hope in your name, for it is good, in the presence of your saints.

1The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good.

2God looks down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there are any who understood, who seek after God.

3Every one of them has gone back. They have become filthy together. There is no one who does good, no, not one.

4Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on God?

5There they were in great fear, where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you. You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.

6Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back his people from captivity, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.