Psalms 51; Psalms 52; Psalms 53

1 (50-1) <Unto the end, a psalm of David, (50-2) When Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had sinned with Bethsabee.> (50-3) Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

2 (50-4) Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 (50-5) For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

4 (50-6) To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words, and mayst overcome when thou art judged.

5 (50-7) For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.

6 (50-8) For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.

7 (50-9) Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

8 (50-10) To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

9 (50-11) Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

10 (50-12) Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

11 (50-13) Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 (50-14) Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

13 (50-15) I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

14 (50-16) Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

15 (50-17) O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

16 (50-18) For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

17 (50-19) A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18 (50-20) Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

19 (50-21) Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

1 (51-1) <Unto the end, understanding for David, (51-2) When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul: David went to the house of Achimelech.> (51-3) Why dost thou glory in malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity?

2 (51-4) All the day long thy tongue hath devised injustice: as a sharp razor, thou hast wrought deceit.

3 (51-5) Thou hast loved malice more than goodness: and iniquity rather than to speak righteousness.

4 (51-6) Thou hast loved all the words of ruin, O deceitful tongue.

5 (51-7) Therefore will God destroy thee for ever: he will pluck thee out, and remove thee from thy dwelling place: and thy root out of the land of the living.

6 (51-8) The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say:

7 (51-9) Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity.

8 (51-10) But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea for ever and ever.

9 (51-11) I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good in the sight of thy saints.

1 (52-1) <Unto the end, for Maeleth, understandings to David.> The fool said in his heart: There is no God. (52-2) They are corrupted, and become abominable in iniquities: there is none that doth good.

2 (52-3) God looked down from heaven on the children of men: to see if there were any that did understand, or did seek God.

3 (52-4) All have gone aside, they are become unprofitable together, there is none that doth good, no not one.

4 (52-5) Shall not all the workers of iniquity know, who eat up my people as they eat bread?

5 (52-6) They have not called upon God: there have they trembled for fear, where there was no fear. For God hath scattered the bones of them that please men: they have been confounded, because God hath despised them.

6 (52-7) Who will give out of Sion the salvation of Israel? when God shall bring back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.