Psalm 49-51New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 49

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.



1
Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,

2
both low and high,
rich and poor alike:

3
My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.

4
I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:



5
Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—

6
those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?

7
No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—

8
the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—

9
so that they should live on forever
and not see decay.

10
For all can see that the wise die,
that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
leaving their wealth to others.

11
Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.



12
People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.



13
This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.

14
They are like sheep and are destined to die;
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.

15
But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.

16
Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;

17
for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.

18
Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—

19
they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.



20
People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.



1
The Mighty One, God, the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.

2
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.

3
Our God comes
and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
and around him a tempest rages.

4
He summons the heavens above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:

5
“Gather to me this consecrated people,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

6
And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice.



7
“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel:
I am God, your God.

8
I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices
or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.

9
I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,

10
for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.

11
I know every bird in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields are mine.

12
If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

13
Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?



14
“Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,

15
and call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

16 But to the wicked person, God says:


“What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant on your lips?

17
You hate my instruction
and cast my words behind you.

18
When you see a thief, you join with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.

19
You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.

20
You sit and testify against your brother
and slander your own mother’s son.

21
When you did these things and I kept silent,
you thought I was exactly like you.
But I now arraign you
and set my accusations before you.



22
“Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:

23
Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”

Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.



1
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

2
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.



3
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

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

4
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.

5
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.



7
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.



10
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.



13
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.

14
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15
Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

16
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.



18
May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19
Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.