Psalm 47-54

New International Version

² For the Lord Most High^(C) is awesome,^(D)
    the great King^(E) over all the earth.
³ He subdued^(F) nations under us,
    peoples under our feet.
⁴ He chose our inheritance^(G) for us,
    the pride of Jacob,^(H) whom he loved.^[b]

⁵ God has ascended^(I) amid shouts of joy,^(J)
    the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.^(K)
6 Sing praises^(L) to God, sing praises;
    sing praises to our King, sing praises.
⁷ For God is the King of all the earth;^(M)
    sing to him a psalm^(N) of praise.

⁸ God reigns^(O) over the nations;
    God is seated on his holy throne.^(P)
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
    as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings^[c] of the earth belong to God;^(Q)
    he is greatly exalted.^(R)

² Beautiful^(W) in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon^[e](X) is Mount Zion,^(Y)
    the city of the Great King.^(Z)
3 God is in her citadels;^(AA)
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.^(AB)

⁴ When the kings joined forces,
    when they advanced together,^(AC)
5 they saw her and were astounded;
    they fled in terror.^(AD)
6 Trembling seized^(AE) them there,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.^(AF)
7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish^(AG)
    shattered by an east wind.^(AH)

⁸ As we have heard,
    so we have seen
in the city of the Lord Almighty,
    in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
    forever.^[f](AI)

⁹ Within your temple, O God,
    we meditate^(AJ) on your unfailing love.^(AK)
10 Like your name,^(AL) O God,
    your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;^(AM)
    your right hand is filled with righteousness.
¹¹ Mount Zion rejoices,
    the villages of Judah are glad
    because of your judgments.^(AN)

¹² Walk about Zion, go around her,
    count her towers,^(AO)
13 consider well her ramparts,^(AP)
    view her citadels,^(AQ)
that you may tell of them
    to the next generation.^(AR)

¹⁴ For this God is our God for ever and ever;
    he will be our guide^(AS) even to the end.

⁵ Why should I fear^(BC) when evil days come,
    when wicked deceivers surround me—
⁶ those who trust in their wealth^(BD)
    and boast^(BE) of their great riches?^(BF)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them—
⁸ the ransom^(BG) for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough—^(BH)
9 so that they should live on^(BI) forever
    and not see decay.^(BJ)
10 For all can see that the wise die,^(BK)
    that the foolish and the senseless^(BL) also perish,
    leaving their wealth^(BM) to others.^(BN)
11 Their tombs^(BO) will remain their houses^[h] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,^(BP)
    though they had^[i] named^(BQ) lands after themselves.

¹² People, despite their wealth, do not endure;^(BR)
    they are like the beasts that perish.^(BS)

¹³ This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,^(BT)
    and of their followers, who approve their sayings.^[j]
14 They are like sheep and are destined^(BU) to die;^(BV)
    death will be their shepherd
    (but the upright will prevail^(BW) 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;^(BX)
    he will surely take me to himself.^(BY)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
¹⁷ for they will take nothing^(BZ) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.^(CA)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—^(CB)
    and people praise you when you prosper—
¹⁹ they will join those who have gone before them,^(CC)
    who will never again see the light^(CD) of life.

²⁰ People who have wealth but lack understanding^(CE)
    are like the beasts that perish.^(CF)

⁷ “Listen, my people, and I will speak;
    I will testify^(CW) against you, Israel:
    I am God, your God.^(CX)
8 I bring no charges^(CY) against you concerning your sacrifices
    or concerning your burnt offerings,^(CZ) which are ever before me.
⁹ I have no need of a bull^(DA) from your stall
    or of goats^(DB) from your pens,^(DC)
10 for every animal of the forest^(DD) is mine,
    and the cattle on a thousand hills.^(DE)
11 I know every bird^(DF) in the mountains,
    and the insects in the fields^(DG) are mine.
¹² If I were hungry I would not tell you,
    for the world^(DH) is mine, and all that is in it.^(DI)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴ “Sacrifice thank offerings^(DJ) to God,
    fulfill your vows^(DK) to the Most High,^(DL)
15 and call^(DM) on me in the day of trouble;^(DN)
    I will deliver^(DO) you, and you will honor^(DP) me.”

“What right have you to recite my laws
    or take my covenant^(DQ) on your lips?^(DR)
17 You hate^(DS) my instruction
    and cast my words behind^(DT) you.
¹⁸ When you see a thief, you join^(DU) with him;
    you throw in your lot with adulterers.^(DV)
19 You use your mouth for evil
    and harness your tongue to deceit.^(DW)
20 You sit and testify against your brother^(DX)
    and slander your own mother’s son.
²¹ When you did these things and I kept silent,^(DY)
    you thought I was exactly^[m] like you.
But I now arraign^(DZ) you
    and set my accusations^(EA) before you.

²² “Consider this, you who forget God,^(EB)
    or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:^(EC)
23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
    and to the blameless^[n] I will show my salvation.^(ED)”

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.^(EM)
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned^(EN)
    and done what is evil in your sight;^(EO)
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.^(EP)
5 Surely I was sinful^(EQ) at birth,^(ER)
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶ Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom^(ES) in that secret place.^(ET)

⁷ Cleanse^(EU) me with hyssop,^(EV) and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.^(EW)
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;^(EX)
    let the bones^(EY) you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins^(EZ)
    and blot out^(FA) all my iniquity.

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart,^(FB) O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.^(FC)
11 Do not cast me^(FD) from your presence^(FE)
    or take your Holy Spirit^(FF) from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation^(FG)
    and grant me a willing spirit,^(FH) to sustain me.^(FI)

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,^(FJ)
    so that sinners^(FK) will turn back to you.^(FL)
14 Deliver me^(FM) from the guilt of bloodshed,^(FN) O God,
    you who are God my Savior,^(FO)
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.^(FP)
15 Open my lips, Lord,^(FQ)
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice,^(FR) or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice,^(FS) O God, is^[p] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart^(FT)
    you, God, will not despise.

¹⁸ May it please you to prosper Zion,^(FU)
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.^(FV)
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,^(FW)
    in burnt offerings^(FX) offered whole;
    then bulls^(FY) will be offered on your altar.

⁵ Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
    He will snatch you up and pluck^(GI) you from your tent;
    he will uproot^(GJ) you from the land of the living.^(GK)
6 The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh^(GL) at you, saying,
⁷ “Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold^(GM)
but trusted in his great wealth^(GN)
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

⁸ But I am like an olive tree^(GO)
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust^(GP) in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
⁹ For what you have done I will always praise you^(GQ)
    in the presence of your faithful people.^(GR)
And I will hope in your name,^(GS)
    for your name is good.^(GT)

² God looks down from heaven^(GX)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(GY)
    any who seek God.^(GZ)
3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.^(HA)

⁴ Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
⁵ But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.^(HB)
God scattered the bones^(HC) of those who attacked you;^(HD)
    you put them to shame,^(HE) for God despised them.^(HF)

⁶ Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When God restores his people,
    let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

³ Arrogant foes are attacking me;^(HL)
    ruthless people^(HM) are trying to kill me^(HN)—
    people without regard for God.^[y](HO)

⁴ Surely God is my help;^(HP)
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.^(HQ)

⁵ Let evil recoil^(HR) on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness^(HS) destroy them.

⁶ I will sacrifice a freewill offering^(HT) to you;
    I will praise^(HU) your name, Lord, for it is good.^(HV)
7 You have delivered me^(HW) from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.^(HX)