Psalm 48

A song of praise from the Korah family.

¹The Lord is great. People praise him very much in the city of our God, {on} his holy mountain. ²God’s holy city is at such a pleasant altitude! It makes people around the world happy! Mount Zion is the true mountain of God.* It is the city of the Great King. ³In the palaces of that city, God is known as the Fortress. ⁴One time, some kings met together. {They planned to attack this city}. They all marched toward that city. ⁵But then those kings saw it, and they were amazed. They all panicked and ran away! ⁶Fear grabbed those kings. They shook with fear! ⁷{God, you used} a strong east wind and wrecked their big ships. ⁸Yes, we heard the stories {about your power}. But we also saw it, in the city of our God, the city of the Lord All-Powerful. God makes that city strong forever! SELAH* ⁹God, in your temple we think carefully about your loving kindness. ¹⁰God, you are famous. People praise you everywhere on earth. Everyone knows how good you are. ¹¹{God,} Mount Zion is happy. The towns of Judah rejoice because of your good decisions. ¹²Walk around Zion. Look at the city. Count the towers. ¹³See the tall walls. Admire Zion’s palaces. Then you can tell the next generation about it. ¹⁴This God is our God forever and ever! He will lead us forever!*

true mountain of God Literally, “the summit of Zaphon”. In Canaanite stories, Mt. Zaphon was where the gods lived. SELAH This word is for the musicians. It probably means the singers should pause here or the music should be louder here. forever Or, “even through death”.

Psalm 49

To the director.* A song from the Korah family.

¹Listen to this all you nations. Listen to this all you people on earth. ²Every person, poor and rich alike, should listen. ³I will tell you some very wise and intelligent things. ⁴I myself listened to the stories. And now, with my harp, I will sing and reveal that message to you. ⁵Why should I be afraid if trouble comes. There is no need to be afraid if evil people surround me and try to trap me. ⁶Some people think their strength and wealth will protect them. But those people are fools. ⁷No human friend can save you. And you can’t bribe* God. ⁸No person will ever get enough money to buy his own life. ⁹No person will ever get enough money to buy the right to live forever, and to save his own body from rotting in the grave. ¹⁰Look, wise people die the same as fools and stupid people.* They die and leave their wealth to other people. ¹¹The grave will be their new home forever and ever. And how much land they owned won’t make any difference! ¹²People might be wealthy, but they can’t stay here forever. They will die just like the animals. ¹³That is what happens to those foolish people who are so pleased with their wealth.* SELAH* ¹⁴Those people are just like sheep. The grave will be their pen. Death will be their shepherd. Then on that morning the good people will be the winners as the bodies of those {proud} people slowly rot in the grave, far away from their fancy houses. ¹⁵But God will pay the price and save my life.* He will save me from the power of the grave when he takes me {to be with him}! SELAH* ¹⁶Don’t be afraid of people just because they are rich. Don’t be afraid of people just because they have big fancy houses. ¹⁷Those people won’t take a thing with them when they die. They will not take any of those beautiful things with them. ¹⁸A wealthy person might really congratulate himself on how well he has done in life. And yes, even other people might praise him for how well he had done for himself. ¹⁹But the time will come for him {to die} and go to his ancestors. And he will never again see the light of day. ²⁰People might be wealthy, and still not understand. They will die just like the animals.

director Or, “performer.” bribe Here this means offering a gift or sacrifice so that God will not punish a guilty person. stupid people Or, “animals.” who are pleased … wealth Or, “who run after their appetites” or “pursue the things they want” SELAH This word is for the musicians. It probably means the singers should pause here or the music should be louder here. life Literally, “soul.”

Psalm 50

One of Asaph’s songs.

¹The Lord, the God of gods has spoken. He calls to all the people on earth, from the rising to the setting sun. ²God shining from Zion is absolutely beautiful! ³Our God is coming, and he will not keep quiet. Fire burns in front of him. There is a great storm around him. ⁴Our God calls to the earth and sky to {be witnesses as he} judges his people. ⁵{God says,} “My followers, gather around me. Come my worshipers, we made an agreement with each other.” ⁶God is the judge, and the skies tell about his goodness. SELAH* ⁷God says, “My people, listen to me! People of Israel, I will show my evidence against you. I am God, your God. ⁸I am not complaining about your sacrifices.* You people of Israel bring me your burnt offerings all the time. You give them to me every day. ⁹I will not take bulls from your house. I will not take goats from your stalls. ¹⁰I don’t need those animals. I already own all the animals in the forest. I already own all the animals on thousands of mountains.* ¹¹I know every bird on the highest mountain. Every moving thing in the hills are mine. ¹²{I am not hungry!} But if I were hungry, I would not have to ask you for food. I already own the world and everything on it. ¹³I don’t eat meat from bulls. I don’t drink blood from goats.” ¹⁴So bring your thank offerings* {to share with the other worshipers} and come to be with God. You made promises to God Most High, so give him the things you promised. ¹⁵{God says,} “Call for me when you have troubles! I will help you. And then you can honor me.” ¹⁶God says to wicked people, “You people talk about my laws. You talk about my Agreement. ¹⁷So why do you hate it when I correct you? Why do you ignore the things I say? ¹⁸You see a thief, and you run to join him. You jump into bed with people doing the sin of adultery. ¹⁹You people say bad things and tell lies. ²⁰You constantly say bad things about other people, even your own brothers. ²¹You did these bad things, and I said nothing. So you thought that I was just like you. Well, I won’t be quiet any longer! I will make it very clear to you, and I will criticize you to your face! ²²You people have forgotten God. So you had better understand before I tear you apart! If that happens, no person can save you! ²³So if a person gives a thank offering,* then he shows me honor. But if a person lives right, then I will show him my power to save.”

SELAH This word is for the musicians. It probably means the singers should pause here or the music should be louder here. sacrifice(s) A sacrifice was a gift to God. Usually, it was a special animal that was killed and burned on an altar. thousands of mountains Or possibly, “the mountains of El,” that is, “the highest mountains”. thank offering(s) Special fellowship offerings people gave to praise God and thank him for doing good things for them. A part of the animal was burned on the altar, but the people ate most of it in a fellowship meal at the temple. See Lev. 7:11–26.

Psalm 51

To the director.* One of David’s songs. This song is about the time that Nathan the prophet went to David after David’s sin with Bathsheba.

¹God, be merciful to me, because of your great loving kindness, because of your great mercy, erase all my sins. ²God, scrub away my guilt. Wash away my sins, Make me clean again! ³I know I sinned. I always see those sins. ⁴I did the things you say are wrong. God, you are the One I sinned against. I confess these things so people will know I am wrong, and you are right. Your decisions are fair. ⁵I was born in sin, and in sin my mother conceived me. ⁶God, you want me to be truly loyal, so put true wisdom deep inside of me. ⁷Use the hyssop plant and do the ceremony to make me pure. Wash me until I am whiter than snow! ⁸Make me happy! Tell me how to be happy again. Let the bones you crushed be happy again! ⁹Don’t look at my sins! Erase them all! ¹⁰God, create a pure heart in me! Make my spirit strong again! ¹¹Don’t push me away! And don’t take your Holy Spirit away from me! ¹²Your help made me so happy! Give me that joy again. Make my spirit strong and ready to obey you. ¹³I will teach sinners how you want them to live, and they will come back to you. ¹⁴God, spare me from the death penalty.* My God, you are the One who Saves me! Let me sing about the good things that you do for me! ¹⁵My Master, I will open my mouth and sing your praises! ¹⁶You don’t really want sacrifices.* So why should I give sacrifices that you don’t even want! ¹⁷The sacrifice that God wants is an humble spirit.* God, you will not turn away a person who comes with an humble, submissive heart.* ¹⁸God, please be good to Zion.* Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. ¹⁹Then you can enjoy the good sacrifices* and whole burnt offerings. And people will again offer bulls on your altar.

director Or, “performer.” spare … death penalty Or, “don’t consider me guilty of murder.” sacrifice(s) A sacrifice was a gift to God. Usually, it was a special animal that was killed and burned on an altar. humble spirit Literally, “a broken spirit.” a person … heart Literally, “a broken and crushed heart.” Zion The southeast part of the mountain Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the people of God living in Jerusalem.