before him, and great weather round about him.

He calleth heaven and earth to judge his people.

Gather unto me my saints, which esteem the covenant more than sacrifice.

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for GOD is judge. Sela.

Hear, my people, let me speak, O Israel; let me testify among thee, I, GOD, am thy GOD.

Because of thy sacrifice I will not punish thee: for thy burnt offerings are always before me.

I will not take bullocks out of thy house, nor goats out of thy stalls; 10. For all the beasts of the forest are mine, and the cattle upon the mountains, as they go by thousands.

I know all the fowls of the mountains, and every beast of the field is before me.

Where I hungered, I would not tell thee: for the ground is mine, and all that is therein.

Wilt thou have me to eat the flesh of an ox, or to drink the blood of a goat?

Offer thanks to God and pay your vows to the Most High.

And call upon me in trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt praise me.

But unto the wicked God saith, Why declareest thou my statutes, and takest my covenant in thy mouth?

If thou hate discipline, and cast my words behind thee?

When thou seest a thief, thou shalt run with him, and have fellowship with adulterers.

Thou hast made thy mouth to speak evil, and thy tongue to speak deceit.

Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thy mother’s son.

Thou doest so, and I hold my peace. Thou thinkest I shall be as thou art. But I will punish thee, and will make thee see it.

Mark this, ye that forget God, that I will not even depart, and there shall be no more saviour.

He that offereth thanksgiving glorifieth me: and there is the way that I may shew him the salvation of God.
The 51st Psalm (^)
David’s sermon on repentance.

a psalm of David, to be sung,

When Nathan the prophet came to him, when he was come to Bathsheba.

God, be merciful to me according to your goodness, and blot out my sins according to your great mercy!

Wash me well from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

In thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified in thy words, and be pure when thou art judged.

Behold, I am begotten of sinful seed, and my mother conceived me in sins.

Behold, thou delightest in the truth that is in secret: thou hast made me to know the secret
wisdom.

Defile me with hyssop, that I may be clean: wash me, that I may be white as snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me, O God, a pure heart, and give me a new, conscientious spirit.

Cast me not away from thy presence, neither take thy Holy Spirit from me.

Comfort me again with thy help, and the joyful spirit contain me.

For I will teach the transgressors thy ways, that sinners may turn unto thee.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, who art my God and Saviour, that my tongue may praise thy righteousness.

Open my lips, O LORD, that my mouth may declare thy glory.

For thou hast no pleasure in sacrifice; otherwise I would give it thee: and burnt offerings are not pleasing unto thee.

the sacrifices that please GOD are a troubled spirit; a troubled and bruised heart you, GOD, will not despise.

Do well unto Zion according to thy mercy: build the walls of Jerusalem.

Then shall the sacrifices of righteousness, the burnt offerings, and the whole sacrifices, be acceptable unto thee: then shall bullocks be offered upon thine altar.
The 52nd Psalm (^)
David’s complaint about Doeg.

an instruction of David to sing before,

And Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, saying, David is come into Ahimelech’s house.

Why then, thou tyrant, art thou able to do harm, when the goodness of God is yet daily?

your tongue seeks harm and cuts with lies like a sharp shearing knife.

you speak evil rather than good and wrong rather than right. Sela.

Thou speakest with a false tongue all things that are for destruction.

Therefore God also shall utterly destroy thee, and break thee in pieces, and pluck thee out of the tabernacle, and cut thee off from the land of the living. Sela.

And the righteous shall see it, and be afraid, and shall laugh: 9. Behold, this is the man that thought not God his comfort, but trusted in his great riches, and was mighty to do harm.

But I will abide as a green olive tree in the house of GOD, relying on GOD’s goodness forever and ever.

I thank thee for ever: for thou canst do it well: and I will wait upon thy name: for thy saints delight therein.
The 53rd Psalm (^)
Of man’s ruin and salvation.

an instruction of David to sing in chorus around one another.

The foolish say in their heart, There is no God. They are good for nothing and have become an abomination in their evil nature. There is none that doeth good.

God looketh from heaven upon the children of men, to see if any man be wise that seeketh after God.

But they are all fallen away, and are all unfit. There is none that doeth good, neither one.

Will not the evildoers tell them, that devour my people, that they feed? God do they not call upon.

But they are afraid, because there is no fear: for God scattereth the bones of the beaters. Thou hast put them to shame; for God spurneth them.

Oh that help would come upon Israel out of Zion, and that God would deliver his captive people! Then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
The 54th Psalm (^)
Prayer for help and salvation.

an instruction of David to sing on strings,

And they of Ziph came and said unto Saul, David hath hid himself with us.

Help me, O God, by your name, and establish justice for me by your power.

O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.

For the proud set themselves against me, and the proud after my soul, and have not God before their eyes. Sela.

Behold, God helpeth me: the LORD upholdeth my soul.

He shall pay the wickedness of mine enemies. Destroy them by your faithfulness!

Then will I offer unto thee a sacrifice of joy, and give thanks unto thy name, O LORD, because it is so comforting.

For thou hast delivered me out of all mine affliction, that mine eye may delight in mine enemies.
The 55th Psalm (^)
Prayer against the false brethren.

an instruction of David to sing on strings.

God, hear my prayer and do not hide from my supplication.

Take heed unto me, and hear me, how I mourn and howl,

That the enemy crieth, and the wicked presseth: for they will prove me a fool, and are sore grieved against me.

My heart is troubled in my flesh, and the fear of death is fallen upon me.

Fear and trembling is come upon me, and horror hath overtaken me.

And I said, O that I had wings like doves, that I might fly and stay!

Behold, I will depart afar off, and dwell in the wilderness. Sela.

I would hasten that I might be deadened from the tempest and from the weather.

Make their tongues divided, O LORD, and let them perish: for I see iniquity and strife in the city.

These things go round about within their walls day and night: there is toil and labour within them.

Wickedness reigneth within: lying and deceitfulness depart not from her lane.

But if mine enemy ravished me, I would suffer it: and if my hater pierced me, I would hide myself from him;

But thou art my journeyman, and my keeper, and my kinsman,

Who were friendly with one another among ourselves; we walked in the house of God in multitudes.

death overtakes them, and must
go alive into hell: for there is wickedness among their multitude.

But I will cry unto God, and the LORD shall help me.

In the evening, and in the morning, and at noon, will I mourn and howl; and he shall hear my voice.

He redeemeth my soul from them that seek me, and restoreth it: for they are many against me.

God will hear and humble them, who abides all the way. Sela. For they will not be different and will not fear God.

For they lay their hands on his seed of peace, and profane his covenant.

Their mouth is smoother than butter, and yet they have war in mind; their words are softer than oil, and yet they are mere swords.

Cast thine affliction upon the LORD. He will provide for thee, and will not leave the righteous in trouble for ever.

But, O GOD, you will push them down into the deep pit. The bloodthirsty and the false will not bring their lives to the half. But I hope in you.
The 56th Psalm (^)
Prayer against the persecutors.

A golden jewel of David, from the dumb dove among the strangers, when the Philistines took him at Gath.

God, have mercy on me, for men want to sink me; daily they quarrel and fear me.

Mine enemies daily sink me: for many contend against me proudly.

when I am afraid, I hope in you.

I will glory in the word of God; in God will I hope, and not fear: what shall flesh do unto me?

They daily dispute my words: all their thoughts are to do me evil.

They keep in multitude, and lie in wait, and take heed how they catch my soul.

What evil they do is already forgiven. God, cast down such people without all mercy!

count my flight, grasp my tears