Psalm 50-51

English Standard Version

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

^7 (L)“Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
    O Israel, I will testify against you.
    ^(M)I am God, your God.
⁸ Not for your sacrifices ^(N)do I rebuke you;
    your burnt offerings are continually before me.
⁹ I will not accept a bull from your house
    or goats from your folds.
¹⁰ For every beast of the forest is mine,
    the cattle on a thousand hills.
^11 (O)I 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,
    ^(P)for the world and its fullness are mine.
¹³ Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
^14 (Q)Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,^[b]
    and ^(R)perform your vows to the Most High,
¹⁵ and ^(S)call upon me in the day of trouble;
    I will ^(T)deliver you, and you shall ^(U)glorify me.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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