Psalm 52-54
Common English Bible
Psalm 52
For the music leader. A maskil[a] of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has gone to Ahimelech’s house.”
52 Hey, powerful person!
Why do you brag about evil?
God’s faithful love lasts all day long.
2 Your tongue devises destruction:
it’s like a sharpened razor, causing deception.
3 You love evil more than good;
you love lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all destructive words;
you love the deceiving tongue.
5 But God will take you down permanently;
he will snatch you up,
tear you out of your tent,
and uproot you from the land of the living! Selah
6 The righteous will see and be in awe;
they will laugh at those people:
7 “Look at them! They didn’t make God their refuge.
Instead, they trusted in their own great wealth.
They sought refuge in it—to their own destruction!”
8 But I am like a green olive tree in God’s house;
I trust in God’s faithful love forever and always.
9 I will give thanks to you, God, forever,
because you have acted.
In the presence of your faithful people,
I will hope in your name because it’s so good.
Psalm 53
For the music leader, according to the mahalath. A maskil[b] of David.
53 Fools say in their hearts, There’s no God.
They are corrupt and do horrible deeds;
not one of them does anything good.
2 God looks down from heaven on humans
to see if anyone is wise,
to see if anyone seeks God.
3 But all have turned away.
Everyone is corrupt.
No one does good—
not even one person!
4 Are they dumb—these evildoers—
devouring my people like they are eating bread
but never calling on God?
5 There, where there was nothing to fear,
they will be in utter panic
because God will scatter the bones
of those who attacked you.
You will put them to shame
because God has rejected them.
6 Let Israel’s salvation come out of Zion!
When God changes
his people’s circumstances for the better,
Jacob will rejoice;
Israel will celebrate!
Psalm 54
For the music leader. With stringed instruments. A maskil[c] of David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Isn’t David hiding among us?”
54 God! Save me by your name;
defend me by your might!
2 God! Hear my prayer;
listen to the words of my mouth!
3 The proud have come up against me;
violent people want me dead.
They pay no attention to God. Selah
4 But look here: God is my helper;
my Lord sustains my life.
5 He will bring disaster on my opponents.
By your faithfulness, God, destroy them!
6 I will sacrifice to you freely;
I will give thanks to your name, Lord,
because it’s so good,
7 and because God has delivered me
from every distress.
My eyes have seen my enemies’ defeat.[d]
Footnotes
- Psalm 52:1 Perhaps instruction
- Psalm 53:1 Perhaps instruction
- Psalm 54:1 Perhaps instruction
- Psalm 54:7 Heb lacks defeat.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible