Psalms 48 to 51 : English Standard Version   | SearchSearch | Next Version | Previous Page | Next Page |

Other VersionsPsalm 48

Zion, the City of Our God

A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

48:1 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, 2beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. 3Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.

4For behold, the kings assembled; they came on together. 5As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic; they took to flight. 6Trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor. 7By the east wind you shattered the ships of Tarshish. 8As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God, which God will establish forever. Selah

9We have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. 10As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness. 11  Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments!

12Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, 13consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation 14  that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.[1]

[1] Septuagint; another reading is (compare Jerome, Syriac) He will guide us beyond death


Psalm 49

Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

49:1 Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 2both low and high, rich and poor together! 3My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

5Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 6those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? 7Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, 8for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, 9that he should live on forever and never see the pit.

10For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. 11Their graves are their homes forever,[2] their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. 12Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.

13This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts.[3] Selah 14Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. 15But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah

16Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 17For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. 18For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed, —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— 19his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. 20Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

[2] Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Their inward thought was that their homes were forever  [3] Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts


Psalm 50

God Himself Is Judge

A Psalm of Asaph.

50:1 The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

3Our God comes; he does not keep silence;[4] before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. 4He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5“Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” 6The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah

7“Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. 8Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me. 9I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds. 10For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. 11I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.

12“If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. 13Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,[5] and perform your vows to the Most High, 15and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

16But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? 17For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. 18If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.

19“You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. 20You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. 21These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I[6] was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

22“Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! 23The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

[4] Or May our God come, and not keep silence  [5] Or Make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God  [6] Or that the I am


Psalm 51

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

51:1 Have mercy on me,[7] O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right[8] spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

[7] Or Be gracious to me  [8] Or steadfast

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