Psalm 53-54

New Living Translation

Psalm 53

For the choir director: A meditation; a psalm^[a] of David.

¹Only fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
not one of them does good!

²God looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God.
³But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt.^[b]
No one does good,
    not a single one!

⁴Will those who do evil never learn?
    They eat up my people like bread
    and wouldn’t think of praying to God.
⁵Terror will grip them,
    terror like they have never known before.
God will scatter the bones of your enemies.
    You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

⁶Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?
When God restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.

Psalm 54

For the choir director: A psalm^[c] of David, regarding the time the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “We know where David is hiding.” To be accompanied by stringed instruments.

¹Come with great power, O God, and rescue me!
    Defend me with your might.
²Listen to my prayer, O God.
    Pay attention to my plea.
³For strangers are attacking me;
    violent people are trying to kill me.
    They care nothing for God. Interlude

⁴But God is my helper.
The Lord keeps me alive!
⁵May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them.
Do as you promised and put an end to them.

⁶I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you;
    I will praise your name, O Lord,
    for it is good.
⁷For you have rescued me from my troubles
    and helped me to triumph over my enemies.

Footnotes

53:Title Hebrew According to mahalath; a maskil. These may be literary or musical terms.
53:3 Greek version reads have become useless. Compare Rom 3:12.
54:Title Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.