World English Bible

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

1 Hear this, all you peoples.

Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

2 both low and high,

rich and poor together.

3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom.

My heart shall utter understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb.

I will open my riddle on the harp.

5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,

when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

6 Those who trust in their wealth,

and boast in the multitude of their riches—

7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother,

nor give God a ransom for him.

8 For the redemption of their life is costly,

no payment is ever enough,

9 that he should live on forever,

that he should not see corruption.

10 For he sees that wise men die;

likewise the fool and the senseless perish,

and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever,

and their dwelling places to all generations.

They name their lands after themselves.

12 But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure.

He is like the animals that perish.

13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish,

and of those who approve their sayings.Selah.

14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.

Death shall be their shepherd.

The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.

Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,

far from their mansion.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,

for he will receive me.Selah.

16 Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich,

when the glory of his house is increased;

17 for when he dies he will carry nothing away.

His glory won’t descend after him.

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul—

and men praise you when you do well for yourself—

19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers.

They shall never see the light.

20 A man who has riches without understanding,

is like the animals that perish.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/49-b3a696c11201238953476f0b0fd028bc.mp3?version_id=206—

A Psalm by Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks,

and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.

2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines out.

3 Our God comes, and does not keep silent.

A fire devours before him.

It is very stormy around him.

4 He calls to the heavens above,

to the earth, that he may judge his people:

5 “Gather my saints together to me,

those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

6 The heavens shall declare his righteousness,

for God himself is judge.Selah.

7 “Hear, my people, and I will speak;

Israel, and I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

8 I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices.

Your burnt offerings are continually before me.

9 I have no need for a bull from your stall,

nor male goats from your pens.

10 For every animal of the forest is mine,

and the livestock on a thousand hills.

11 I know all the birds of the mountains.

The wild animals of the field are mine.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

13 Will I eat the meat of bulls,

or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Pay your vows to the Most High.

15 Call on me in the day of trouble.

I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

16 But to the wicked God says,

“What right do you have to declare my statutes,

that you have taken my covenant on your lips,

17 since you hate instruction,

and throw my words behind you?

18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him,

and have participated with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth to evil.

Your tongue frames deceit.

20 You sit and speak against your brother.

You slander your own mother’s son.

21 You have done these things, and I kept silent.

You thought that I was just like you.

I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes.

22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,

lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver.

23 Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me,

and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/50-65dc1b4a53b1bf88261fcb0018dcf510.mp3?version_id=206—

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.

According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.

Cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions.

My sin is constantly before me.

4 Against you, and you only, I have sinned,

and done that which is evil in your sight;

that you may be proved right when you speak,

and justified when you judge.

5 Behold, I was born in iniquity.

In sin my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts.

You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean.

Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness,

That the bones which you have broken may rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all of my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Renew a right spirit within me.

11 Don’t throw me from your presence,

and don’t take your holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation.

Uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways.

Sinners shall be converted to you.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation.

My tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

15 Lord, open my lips.

My mouth shall declare your praise.

16 For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it.

You have no pleasure in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.

A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 Do well in your good pleasure to Zion.

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,

in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings.

Then they will offer bulls on your altar.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/51-6677f4ec5cc2bd130a30683645481118.mp3?version_id=206—

For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to Ahimelech’s house.”

1 Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man?

God’s loving kindness endures continually.

2 Your tongue plots destruction,

like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

3 You love evil more than good,

lying rather than speaking the truth.Selah.

4 You love all devouring words,

you deceitful tongue.

5 God will likewise destroy you forever.

He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent,

and root you out of the land of the living.Selah.

6 The righteous also will see it, and fear,

and laugh at him, saying,

7 “Behold, this is the man who didn’t make God his strength,

but trusted in the abundance of his riches,

and strengthened himself in his wickedness.”

8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house.

I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever.

9 I will give you thanks forever, because you have done it.

I will hope in your name, for it is good,

in the presence of your saints.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/52-5f7a2891f9d16fcebf1ee39425308b8e.mp3?version_id=206—

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Mahalath.” A contemplation by David.

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity.

There is no one who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven on the children of men,

to see if there are any who understood,

who seek after God.

3 Every one of them has gone back.

They have become filthy together.

There is no one who does good, no, not one.

4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and don’t call on God?

5 There they were in great fear, where no fear was,

for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you.

You have put them to shame,

because God has rejected them.

6 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!

When God brings back his people from captivity,

then Jacob shall rejoice,

and Israel shall be glad.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/53-f9454445358abf35a523b51c7a8ab230.mp3?version_id=206—

For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Isn’t David hiding himself among us?”

1 Save me, God, by your name.

Vindicate me in your might.

2 Hear my prayer, God.

Listen to the words of my mouth.

3 For strangers have risen up against me.

Violent men have sought after my soul.

They haven’t set God before them.Selah.

4 Behold, God is my helper.

The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

5 He will repay the evil to my enemies.

Destroy them in your truth.

6 With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you.

I will give thanks to your name, Yahweh, for it is good.

7 For he has delivered me out of all trouble.

My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/54-3197be3e04974bd4bf83f405f2e0445c.mp3?version_id=206—

For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David.

1 Listen to my prayer, God.

Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.

2 Attend to me, and answer me.

I am restless in my complaint, and moan,

3 Because of the voice of the enemy,

Because of the oppression of the wicked.

For they bring suffering on me.

In anger they hold a grudge against me.

4 My heart is severely pained within me.

The terrors of death have fallen on me.

5 Fearfulness and trembling have come on me.

Horror has overwhelmed me.

6 I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove!

Then I would fly away, and be at rest.

7 Behold, then I would wander far off.

I would lodge in the wilderness.”Selah.

8 “I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.”

9 Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language,

for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they prowl around on its walls.

Malice and abuse are also within her.

11 Destructive forces are within her.

Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.

12 For it was not an enemy who insulted me,

then I could have endured it.

Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me,

then I would have hidden myself from him.

13 But it was you, a man like me,

my companion, and my familiar friend.

14 We took sweet fellowship together.

We walked in God’s house with company.

15 Let death come suddenly on them.

Let them go down alive into Sheol.

For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling.

16 As for me, I will call on God.

Yahweh will save me.

17 Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress.

He will hear my voice.

18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,

although there are many who oppose me.

19 God, who is enthroned forever,

will hear, and answer them.Selah.

They never change,

who don’t fear God.

20 He raises his hands against his friends.

He has violated his covenant.

21 His mouth was smooth as butter,

but his heart was war.

His words were softer than oil,

yet they were drawn swords.

22 Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you.

He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

23 But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction.

Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days,

but I will trust in you.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/55-fc60a0ed7345df92983087153161463b.mp3?version_id=206—

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1 Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up.

All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.

2 My enemies want to swallow me up all day long,

for they are many who fight proudly against me.

3 When I am afraid,

I will put my trust in you.

4 In God, I praise his word.

In God, I put my trust.

I will not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they twist my words.

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They conspire and lurk,

watching my steps, they are eager to take my life.

7 Shall they escape by iniquity?

In anger cast down the peoples, God.

8 You count my wanderings.

You put my tears into your bottle.

Aren’t they in your book?

9 Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.

I know this, that God is for me.

10 In God, I will praise his word.

In Yahweh, I will praise his word.

11 I have put my trust in God.

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

12 Your vows are on me, God.

I will give thank offerings to you.

13 For you have delivered my soul from death,

and prevented my feet from falling,

that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/56-1e2e05d183df4873e3ae90c16d9fc28d.mp3?version_id=206—

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

1 Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me,

for my soul takes refuge in you.

Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge,

until disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,

to God who accomplishes my requests for me.

3 He will send from heaven, and save me,

he rebukes the one who is pursuing me.Selah.

God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.

4 My soul is among lions.

I lie among those who are set on fire,

even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows,

and their tongue a sharp sword.

5 Be exalted, God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be above all the earth!

6 They have prepared a net for my steps.

My soul is bowed down.

They dig a pit before me.

They fall into the middle of it themselves.Selah.

7 My heart is steadfast, God, my heart is steadfast.

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.

8 Wake up, my glory! Wake up, lute and harp!

I will wake up the dawn.

9 I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples.

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

10 For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens,

and your truth to the skies.

11 Be exalted, God, above the heavens.

Let your glory be over all the earth.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/57-c1c6dcc5a4f3ffe69ac71fc2d2caf816.mp3?version_id=206—

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David.

1 Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones?

Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

2 No, in your heart you plot injustice.

You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3 The wicked go astray from the womb.

They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

4 Their poison is like the poison of a snake;

like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

5 which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers,

no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

6 Break their teeth, God, in their mouth.

Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh.

7 Let them vanish like water that flows away.

When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

8 Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away,

like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns,

he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance.

He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;

11 so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous.

Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/PSA/58-b365d04eb4da6c7a5d96906c4b91b048.mp3?version_id=206—