Psalms 51; Psalms 52; Psalms 53

1 God, be merciful to me because you are loving. Because you are always ready to be merciful, wipe out all my wrongs.

2 Wash away all my guilt and make me clean again.

3 I know about my wrongs, and I can't forget my sin.

4 You are the only one I have sinned against; I have done what you say is wrong. You are right when you speak and fair when you judge.

5 I was brought into this world in sin. In sin my mother gave birth to me.

6 You want me to be completely truthful, so teach me wisdom.

7 Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you crushed be happy again.

9 Turn your face from my sins and wipe out all my guilt.

10 Create in me a pure heart, God, and make my spirit right again.

11 Do not send me away from you or take your Holy Spirit away from me.

12 Give me back the joy of your salvation. Keep me strong by giving me a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach your ways to those who do wrong, and sinners will turn back to you.

14 God, save me from the guilt of murder, God of my salvation, and I will sing about your goodness.

15 Lord, let me speak so I may praise you.

16 You are not pleased by sacrifices, or I would give them. You don't want burnt offerings.

17 The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit. God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin.

18 Do whatever good you wish for Jerusalem. Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will be pleased with right sacrifices and whole burnt offerings, and bulls will be offered on your altar.

1 Mighty warrior, why do you brag about the evil you do? God's love will continue forever.

2 You think up evil plans. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, making up lies.

3 You love wrong more than right and lies more than truth.Selah

4 You love words that bite and tongues that lie.

5 But God will ruin you forever. He will grab you and throw you out of your tent; he will tear you away from the land of the living.Selah

6 Those who do right will see this and fear God. They will laugh at you and say,

7 "Look what happened to the man who did not depend on God but depended on his money. He grew strong by his evil plans."

8 But I am like an olive tree growing in God's Temple. forever and ever.

9 God, I will thank you forever for what you have done. With those who worship you, I will trust you because you are good.

1 Fools say to themselves, "There is no God." Fools are evil and do terrible things; none of them does anything good.

2 God looked down from heaven on all people to see if anyone was wise, if anyone was looking to God for help.

3 But all have turned away. Together, everyone has become evil; none of them does anything good. Not a single person.

4 Don't the wicked understand? They destroy my people as if they were eating bread. They do not ask God for help.

5 The wicked are filled with terror where there had been nothing to fear. God will scatter the bones of your enemies. You will defeat them, because God has rejected them.

6 I pray that victory will come to Israel from Mount Zion! May God bring them back. Then the people of Jacob will rejoice, and the people of Israel will be glad.