KJV - Psalms 52 to 56

Psalm 52

¹Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. ²The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. ³Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. ⁴Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. ⁵God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. ⁶The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: ⁷Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. ⁸But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. ⁹I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

Psalm 53

¹The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. ²God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. ³Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ⁴Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God. ⁵There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them. ⁶Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Psalm 54

¹Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. ²Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. ³For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah. ⁴Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. ⁵He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth. ⁶I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good. ⁷For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

Psalm 55

¹Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. ²Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; ³Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. ⁴My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. ⁵Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. ⁶And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. ⁷Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. ⁸I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. ⁹Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. ¹⁰Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. ¹¹Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. ¹²For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: ¹³But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. ¹⁴We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. ¹⁵Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. ¹⁶As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. ¹⁷Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. ¹⁸He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. ¹⁹God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. ²⁰He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. ²¹The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. ²²Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. ²³But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

Psalm 56

¹Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. ²Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. ³What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. ⁴In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. ⁵Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. ⁶They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. ⁷Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God. ⁸Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? ⁹When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. ¹⁰In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. ¹¹In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. ¹²Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. ¹³For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?