of the Korahites.
2The LORD is great and much acclaimed
in the city of our God,
His holy mountain—
3fair-crested, joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, summit of Zaphon,a
city of the great king.
4Through its citadels, God has made Himself known as a haven.
5See, the kings joined forces;
they advanced together.
6At the mere sight of it they were stunned,
they were terrified, they panicked;
7they were seized there with a trembling,
like a woman in the throes of labor,
8as the Tarshish fleet was wrecked
in an easterly gale.b
9The likes of what we heard we have now witnessed
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
in the city of our God—
may God preserve it forever!
Selah.
10In Your temple, God,
we meditate upon Your faithful care.
11The praise of You, God, like Your name,
reaches to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is filled with beneficence.
12Let Mount Zion rejoice!
Let the townsc of Judah exult,
because of Your judgments.
13Walk around Zion,
circle it;
count its towers,
14take note of its ramparts;
d-go through-d its citadels,
that you may recount it to a future age.
15For God—He is our God forever;
He will lead us d-evermore.-d
49For the leader. Of the Korahites. A psalm.
2Hear this, all you peoples;
give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
3men of all estates,
rich and poor alike.
4My mouth utters wisdom,
my speecha is full of insight.
5I will turn my attention to a theme,
set forth my lesson to the music of a lyre.
6In time of trouble, why should I fear
the encompassing evil of those who would supplant me—
7men who trust in their riches,
who glory in their great wealth?
8b-Ah, it-b cannot redeem a man,
or pay his ransom to God;
9the price of life is too high;
and so one ceases to be, forever.
10Shall he live eternally,
and never see the grave?
11For one sees that the wise die,
that the foolish and ignorant both perish,
leaving their wealth to others.
12Their gravec is their eternal home,
the dwelling-place for all generations
of those once famous on earth.
13Man does not abide in honor;
he is like the beasts that perish.
14Such is the fate of those who are self-confident,
d-the end of those pleased with their own talk.-d
Selah.
15Sheeplike they head for Sheol,
with Death as their shepherd.
The upright shall rule over them at daybreak,
d-and their form shall waste away in Sheol
till its nobility be gone.-d
16But God will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol,
for He will take me.
Selah.
17Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich,
when his household goods increase;
18for when he dies he can take none of it along;
his goods cannot follow him down.
19Though he congratulates himself in his lifetime
—d-“They must admit that you did well by yourself”-d—
20yet he must join the company of his ancestors,
who will never see daylight again.
21Man does not understand honor;
he is like the beasts that perish.
50A psalm of Asaph.
a-God, the LORD God-a spoke
and summoned the world from east to west.
2From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God appeared
3—let our God come and not fail to act!
Devouring fire preceded Him;
it stormed around Him fiercely.
4He summoned the heavens above,
and the earth, for the trial of His people.
5“Bring in My devotees,
who made a covenant with Me over sacrifice!”
6Then the heavens proclaimed His righteousness,
for He is a God who judges.
Selah.
7“Pay heed, My people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will arraign you.
I am God, your God.
8I censure you not for your sacrifices,
and your burnt offerings, made to Me daily;
9I claim no bull from your estate,
no he-goats from your pens.
10For Mine is every animal of the forest,
the beasts on b-a thousand mountains.-b
11I know every bird of the mountains,
the creatures of the field are subject to Me.
12Were I hungry, I would not tell you,
for Mine is the world and all it holds.
13Do I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of he-goats?
14Sacrifice a thank offering to God,
and pay your vows to the Most High.
15Call upon Me in time of trouble;
I will rescue you, and you shall honor Me.”
16And to the wicked, God said:
“Who are you to recite My laws,
and mouth the terms of My covenant,
17seeing that you spurn My discipline,
and brush My words aside?
18When you see a thief, you fall in with him,
and throw in your lot with adulterers;
19you devote your mouth to evil,
and yoke your tongue to deceit;
20you are busy maligning your brother,
defaming the son of your mother.
21If I failed to act when you did these things,
you would fancy that I was like you;
so I censure you and confront you with charges.
22Mark this, you who are unmindful of God,
lest I tear you apart and no one save you.
23He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me,
b-and to him who improves his way-b
I will show the salvation of God.”
51 For the leader. A psalm of David, 2 when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had come to Bathsheba.a
3Have mercy upon me, O God,
as befits Your faithfulness;
in keeping with Your abundant compassion,
blot out my transgressions.
4Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity,
and purify me of my sin;
5for I recognize my transgressions,
and am ever conscious of my sin.
6Against You alone have I sinned,
and done what is evil in Your sight;
so You are just in Your sentence,
and right in Your judgment.
7Indeed I was born with iniquity;
with sin my mother conceived me.
8 b-Indeed You desire truth about that which is hidden;
teach me wisdom about secret things.-b
9Purge me with hyssop till I am pure;
wash me till I am whiter than snow.
10Let me hear tidings of joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed exult.
11Hide Your face from my sins;
blot out all my iniquities.
12Fashion a pure heart for me, O God;
create in me a steadfast spirit.
13Do not cast me out of Your presence,
or take Your holy spirit away from me.
14Let me again rejoice in Your help;
let a vigorous spirit sustain me.
15I will teach transgressors Your ways,
that sinners may return to You.
16Save me from bloodguilt,
O God, God, my deliverer,
that I may sing forth Your beneficence.
17O LORD, open my lips,
and let my mouth declare Your praise.
18You do not want me to bring sacrifices;
You do not desire burnt offerings;
19True sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit;
God, You will not despise
a contrite and crushed heart.
20May it please You to make Zion prosper;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
21Then You will want sacrifices offered in righteousness,
burnt and whole offerings;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
52 For the leader. A maskil of David, 2when Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul, telling him, “David came to Ahimelech’s house.”a
3Why do you boast of your evil, brave fellow?
God’s faithfulness b-never ceases.-b
4Your tongue devises mischief,
like a sharpened razor that works treacherously.
5You prefer evil to good,
the lie, to speaking truthfully.
Selah.
6You love all pernicious words,
treacherous speech.
7So God will tear you down for good,
will break you and pluck you from your tent,
and root you out of the land of the living.
Selah.
8The righteous, seeing it, will be awestruck;
they will jibe at him, saying,
9“Here was a fellow who did not make God his refuge,
but trusted in his great wealth,
relied upon his mischief.”
10But I am like a thriving olive tree in God’s house;
I trust in the faithfulness of God forever and ever.
11I praise You forever, for You have acted;
c-I declare that Your name is good-c
in the presence of Your faithful ones.
53 aFor the leader; on mahalath.b A maskil of David.
2The benighted man thinks,
c-“God does not care.”-c
Man’s wrongdoing is corrupt and loathsome;
no one does good.
3God looks down from heaven on mankind
to find a man of understanding,
a man mindful of God.
4Everyone is dross,
altogether foul;
there is none who does good,
not even one.
5Are they so witless, those evildoers,
who devour my people as they devour food,
and do not invoke God?
6There they will be seized with fright
—d-never was there such a fright—
for God has scattered the bones of your besiegers;
you have put them to shame,-d
for God has rejected them.
7O that the deliverance of Israel might come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob will exult, Israel will rejoice.
54 For the leader; with instrumental music. A maskil of David, 2when the Ziphites came and told Saul, “Know, David is in hiding among us.”a
3O God, deliver me by Your name;
by Your power vindicate me.
4O God, hear my prayer;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
5For strangers have risen against me,
and ruthless men seek my life;
they are unmindful of God.
Selah.
6See, God is my helper;
the LORD is my support.
7He will repay the evil of my watchful foes;
by Your faithfulness, destroy them!
8Then I will offer You a freewill sacrifice;
I will praise Your name, LORD, for it is good,
9for it has saved me from my foes,
and let me gaze triumphant upon my enemies.
55 For the leader; with instrumental music. A maskil of David.
2Give ear, O God, to my prayer;
do not ignore my plea;
3pay heed to me and answer me.
I am tossed about, complaining and moaning
4at the clamor of the enemy,
because of the oppression of the wicked;
for they bring evil upon me
and furiously harass me.
5My heart is convulsed within me;
terrors of death assail me.
6Fear and trembling invade me;
I am clothed with horror.
7I said,
“O that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and find rest;
8surely, I would flee far off;
I would lodge in the wilderness;
Selah.
9I would soon find me a refuge
from the sweeping wind,
from the tempest.”
10O LORD, confound their speech, confuse it!
For I see lawlessness and strife in the city;
11day and night they make their rounds on its walls;
evil and mischief are inside it.
12Malice is within it;
fraud and deceit never leave its square.
13It is not an enemy who reviles me
—I could bear that;
it is not my foe who vaunts himself against me
—I could hide from him;
14but it is you, my equal,
my companion, my friend;
15sweet was our fellowship;
we walked together in God’s house.
16Let Him incite death against them;
may they go down alive into Sheol!
For where they dwell,
there evil is.
17As for me, I call to God;
the LORD will deliver me.
18Evening, morning, and noon,
I complain and moan,
and He hears my voice.
19He redeems me unharmed
from the battle against me;
a-it is as though many are on my side.-a
20God