Psalms 51-53

Psalm 51

¹To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Be gracious unto me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness; according to the abundance of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

²Wash me fully from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

³For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is continually before me.

⁴Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in thy sight; that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, be clear when thou judgest.

⁵Behold, in iniquity was I brought forth, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

⁶Behold, thou wilt have truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou wilt make me to know wisdom.

⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

⁸Make me to hear gladness and joy; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

⁹Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

¹¹Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not the spirit of thy holiness from me.

¹²Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and let a willing spirit sustain me.

¹³I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall return unto thee.

¹⁴Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

¹⁵Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

¹⁶For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering.

¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

¹⁸Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then shalt thou have sacrifices of righteousness, burnt-offering, and whole burnt-offering; then shall they offer up bullocks upon thine altar.

Psalm 52

¹To the chief Musician: an instruction. Of David; when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David came to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in evil, thou mighty man? The loving-kindness of God abideth continually.

²Thy tongue deviseth mischievous things, like a sharp razor, practising deceit.

³Thou hast loved evil rather than good, lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

⁴Thou hast loved all devouring words, O deceitful tongue!

⁵God shall likewise destroy thee for ever; he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy tent, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

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

⁷Behold the man that made not God his strength, but put confidence in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his avarice.

⁸But as for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God: I will confide in the loving-kindness of God for ever and ever.

⁹I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it; and I will wait on thy name, before thy godly ones, for it is good.

Psalm 53

¹To the chief Musician. On Mahalath: an instruction. Of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God! They have corrupted themselves, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

²God looked down from the heavens upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

³Every one of them is gone back, they are together become corrupt: there is none that doeth good, not even one.

⁴Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, eating up my people as they eat bread? they call not upon God.

⁵There were they in great fear, where no fear was; for God scattereth the bones of him that encampeth against thee. Thou hast put them to shame, for God hath despised them.

⁶Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God turneth again the captivity of his people, Jacob shall be glad, Israel shall rejoice.