Psalms 51; Psalms 52; Psalms 53; Psalms 54; Psalms 55; Psalms 56; Psalms 57

1 God, show me your favor in keeping with your faithful love. Because your love is so tender and kind, wipe out my lawless acts.

2 Wash away all of the evil things I've done. Make me pure from my sin.

3 I know the lawless acts I've committed. I can't forget my sin.

4 You are the one I've really sinned against. I've done what is evil in your sight. So you are right when you sentence me. You are fair when you judge me.

5 I know I've been a sinner ever since I was born. I've been a sinner ever since my mother became pregnant with me.

6 I know that you want truth to be in my heart. You teach me wisdom deep down inside me.

7 Make me pure by sprinkling me with hyssop plant. Then I will be clean. Wash me. Then I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear you say, "Your sins are forgiven." That will bring me joy and gladness. Let the body you have broken be glad.

9 Take away all of my sins. Wipe away all of the evil things I've done.

10 God, create a pure heart in me. Give me a new spirit that is faithful to you.

11 Don't send me away from you. Don't take your Holy Spirit away from me.

12 Give me back the joy that comes from being saved by you. Give me a spirit that obeys you. That will keep me going.

13 Then I will teach your ways to those who commit lawless acts. And sinners will turn back to you.

14 You are the God who saves me. I have committed murder. Take away my guilt. Then my tongue will sing about how right you are no matter what you do.

15 Lord, open my lips so that I can speak. Then my mouth will praise you.

16 You don't take delight in sacrifice. If you did, I would bring it. You don't take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 The greatest sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. God, you will gladly accept a heart that is broken because of sadness over sin.

18 May you be pleased to give Zion success. Build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then holy sacrifices will be offered in the right way. Whole burnt offerings will bring delight to you. And bulls will be offered on your altar.

1 You think you are such a big, strong man! Why do you brag about the evil things you've done? You are a dishonor to God all the time.

2 You plan ways to destroy others. Your tongue is like a blade that has a sharp edge. You are always telling lies.

3 You love evil instead of good. You would rather lie than tell the truth. "Selah"

4 You love to harm others with your words, you liar!

5 So God will destroy you forever. He will grab hold of you and throw you out of your tent. He will remove you from this life. "Selah"

6 Those who do what is right will see it and learn a lesson from it. They will laugh at you and say,

7 "Just look at this fellow! He didn't depend on God for his safety. He put his trust in all his wealth. He grew strong by destroying others!"

8 But I am like a healthy olive tree. My roots are deep in the house of God. I trust in your faithful love for ever and ever.

9 I will praise you forever for what you have done. I will put my hope in you because you are good. I will praise you when I'm with your faithful people.

1 Foolish people say in their hearts, "There is no God." They do all kinds of horrible and evil things. No one does anything good.

2 God looks down from heaven on all people. He wants to see if there are any who understand. He wants to see if there are any who trust in God.

3 All of them have turned away. They have all become evil. No one does anything good, no one at all.

4 Won't those who do evil ever learn? They eat up my people as if they were eating bread. They don't call out to God for help.

5 Just look at them! They are filled with terror even when there is nothing to be afraid of! People of Israel, God will scatter the bones of those who attack you. You will put them to shame, because God hates them.

6 How I pray that the One who saves Israel will come out of Zion! God will bless his people with great success again. So let the people of Jacob be filled with joy! Let Israel be glad!

1 God, save me by your power. Set me free by your might.

2 God, hear my prayer. Listen to what I'm saying.

3 Strangers are attacking me. Mean people are trying to kill me. They don't care about God. "Selah"

4 But I know that God helps me. The Lord is the one who keeps me going.

5 My enemies tell lies about me. Do to them the evil things they planned against me. God, be faithful and destroy them.

6 I will sacrifice an offering to you just because I choose to. Lord, I will praise your name because it is good.

7 You have saved me from all of my troubles. With my own eyes I have seen you win the battle over my enemies.

1 God, listen to my prayer. Pay attention to my cry for help.

2 Hear me and answer me. My thoughts upset me. I'm very troubled.

3 I'm troubled by what my enemies say about me. I'm upset because sinful people stare at me. They cause me all kinds of suffering. When they are angry, they attack me with their words.

4 I feel great pain deep down inside me. The terrors of death are crushing me.

5 Fear and trembling have taken hold of me. Panic has overpowered me.

6 I said, "I wish I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away and be at rest.

7 I would escape to a place far away. I would stay out in the desert. "Selah"

8 I would hurry to my place of safety. It would be far away from the winds and storms I'm facing."

9 Lord, destroy the plans of sinners. Keep them from understanding one another. I see people destroying things and fighting in the city.

10 Day and night they prowl around on top of its walls. The city is full of crime and trouble.

11 Forces that destroy are at work inside it. Its streets are full of people who cheat others and take advantage of them.

12 If an enemy were making fun of me, I could stand it. If he were looking down on me, I could hide from him.

13 But it's you, someone like myself. It's my companion, my close friend.

14 We used to enjoy good friendship as we walked with the crowds at the house of God.

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise. Let them be buried alive, because their hearts and homes are full of evil.

16 But I call out to God. And the LORD saves me.

17 Evening, morning and noon I groan and cry out. And he hears my voice.

18 Even though many enemies are fighting against me, he brings me safely back from the battle.

19 God sits on his throne forever. He hears my prayers and makes my enemies suffer. "Selah" They never change their ways. They don't have any respect for God.

20 My companion attacks his friends. He breaks his promise.

21 His talk is as smooth as butter. But he has war in his heart. His words flow like olive oil. But they are like swords ready for battle.

22 Turn your worries over to the Lord. He will keep you going. He will never let godly people fall.

23 God, you will bring sinners down to the grave. Murderers and liars won't live out even half of their lives. But I trust in you.

1 God, show me your favor. Men are chasing me. All day long they keep attacking me.

2 Those who tell lies about me chase me all day long. Many proud people are attacking me.

3 When I'm afraid, I will trust in you.

4 I trust in God. I praise his word. I trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can people do to me?

5 All day long they twist my words. They are always making plans to harm me.

6 They get together and hide. They watch my steps. They hope to kill me.

7 Make sure you don't let them escape. God, bring down the nations in your anger.

8 Write down my poem of sadness. List my tears on your scroll. Aren't you making a record of them?

9 My enemies will turn back when I call out to you for help. Then I will know that God is on my side.

10 I trust in God. I praise his word. I trust in the Lord. I praise his word.

11 I trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can mere men do to me?

12 God, I have made promises to you. I will bring my thank offerings to you.

13 You have saved me from death. You have kept me from tripping and falling. Now I can live with you in the light that leads to life.

1 Show me your favor, God. Show me your favor. I go to you for safety. I will find safety in the shadow of your wings. There I will stay until the danger is gone.

2 I cry out to God Most High. I cry out to God, and he carries out his plan for me.

3 He answers from heaven and saves me. He puts to shame those who chase me. "Selah" He shows me his love and his truth.

4 Men who are like lions are all around me. I am lying down among hungry animals. Their teeth are like spears and arrows. Their tongues are like sharp swords.

5 God, may you be honored above the heavens. Let your glory be over the whole earth.

6 My enemies spread a net to catch me by the feet. I felt helpless. They dug a pit in my path. But they fell into it themselves. "Selah"

7 God, my heart feels secure. My heart feels secure. I will sing and make music to you.

8 My spirit, wake up! Harp and lyre, wake up! I want to sing and make music before the sun rises.

9 Lord, I will praise you among the nations. I will sing about you among the people of the earth.

10 Great is your love. It reaches to the heavens. Your truth reaches to the skies.

11 God, may you be honored above the heavens. Let your glory be over the whole earth.