Psalms 51; Psalms 52; Psalms 53

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.

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.

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 and who seeks God.

3 Everyone has turned aside; they have all 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 His captive people, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.