Psalm 51

A Prayer for Restoration

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm, when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.

1 Be gracious to me, God,
according to Your faithful love;
according to Your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion.
2 Wash away my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against You-You alone-I have sinned
and done this evil in Your sight.
So You are right when You pass sentence;
You are blameless when You judge.

5 Indeed, I was guilty [when I] was born;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

6 Surely You desire integrity in the inner self,
and You teach me wisdom deep within.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed rejoice.

9 Turn Your face away from my sins
and blot out all my guilt.

10 God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from Your presence
or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore the joy of Your salvation to me,
and give me a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways,
and sinners will return to You.

14 Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God,
the God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
15 Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
You are not pleased with a burnt offering.

17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

18 In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper;
build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Psalm 52

God Judges the Proud

For the choir director. A Davidic Maskil. When Doeg the Edomite went and reported to Saul, telling him, "David went to Ahimelech's house."

1 Why brag about evil, you hero!
God's faithful love is constant.
2 Like a sharpened razor,
your tongue devises destruction,
working treachery.
3 You love evil instead of good,
lying instead of speaking truthfully. Selah

4 You love any words that destroy,
you treacherous tongue!

5 This is why God will bring you down forever.
He will take you, ripping you out of your tent;
He will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous will look on with awe
and will ridicule him:

7 "Here is the man
who would not make God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches,
taking refuge in his destructive behavior."

8 But I am like a flourishing olive tree
in the house of God;
I trust in God's faithful love forever and ever.

9 I will praise You forever for what You have done.
In the presence of Your faithful people,
I will put my hope in Your name, for it is good.

Psalm 53

A Portrait of Sinners

For the choir director: on Mahalath. A Davidic Maskil.

1 The fool says in his heart, "God does not exist."
They are corrupt, and they do vile deeds.
There is no one who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven on the human race
to see if there is one who is wise,
one who seeks God.

3 All have turned away;
all alike have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.

4 Will evildoers never understand?
They consume My people as they consume bread;
they do not call on God.

5 Then they will be filled with terror-
terror like no other-
because God will scatter
the bones of those who besiege you.
You will put them to shame,
for God has rejected them.

6 Oh, that Israel's deliverance would come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.