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Psalm 45-50
New Living Translation
Psalm 45-50
New Living Translation
Psalm 45
For the choir director: A love song to be sung to the tune “Lilies.” A psalm[a] of the descendants of Korah.
1 Beautiful words stir my heart.
I will recite a lovely poem about the king,
for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.
2 You are the most handsome of all.
Gracious words stream from your lips.
God himself has blessed you forever.
3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!
You are so glorious, so majestic!
4 In your majesty, ride out to victory,
defending truth, humility, and justice.
Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts.
The nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God,[b] endures forever and ever.
You rule with a scepter of justice.
7 You love justice and hate evil.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,
pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.
8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume your robes.
In ivory palaces the music of strings entertains you.
9 Kings’ daughters are among your noble women.
At your right side stands the queen,
wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!
10 Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say.
Forget your people and your family far away.
11 For your royal husband delights in your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The princess of Tyre[c] will shower you with gifts.
The wealthy will beg your favor.
13 The bride, a princess, looks glorious
in her golden gown.
14 In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king,
accompanied by her bridesmaids.
15 What a joyful and enthusiastic procession
as they enter the king’s palace!
16 Your sons will become kings like their father.
You will make them rulers over many lands.
17 I will bring honor to your name in every generation.
Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.
Psalm 46
For the choir director: A song of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices.[d]
1 God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude
4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel[e] is our fortress. Interlude
8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude
Psalm 47
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands!
Shout to God with joyful praise!
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome.
He is the great King of all the earth.
3 He subdues the nations before us,
putting our enemies beneath our feet.
4 He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance,
the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves. Interlude
5 God has ascended with a mighty shout.
The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King over all the earth.
Praise him with a psalm.[f]
8 God reigns above the nations,
sitting on his holy throne.
9 The rulers of the world have gathered together
with the people of the God of Abraham.
For all the kings of the earth belong to God.
He is highly honored everywhere.
Psalm 48
A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 How great is the Lord,
how deserving of praise,
in the city of our God,
which sits on his holy mountain!
2 It is high and magnificent;
the whole earth rejoices to see it!
Mount Zion, the holy mountain,[g]
is the city of the great King!
3 God himself is in Jerusalem’s towers,
revealing himself as its defender.
4 The kings of the earth joined forces
and advanced against the city.
5 But when they saw it, they were stunned;
they were terrified and ran away.
6 They were gripped with terror
and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.
7 You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish
shattered by a powerful east wind.
8 We had heard of the city’s glory,
but now we have seen it ourselves—
the city of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
It is the city of our God;
he will make it safe forever. Interlude
9 O God, we meditate on your unfailing love
as we worship in your Temple.
10 As your name deserves, O God,
you will be praised to the ends of the earth.
Your strong right hand is filled with victory.
11 Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.
Let all the towns of Judah be glad
because of your justice.
12 Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.[h]
Walk around and count the many towers.
13 Take note of the fortified walls,
and tour all the citadels,
that you may describe them
to future generations.
14 For that is what God is like.
He is our God forever and ever,
and he will guide us until we die.
Psalm 49
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 Listen to this, all you people!
Pay attention, everyone in the world!
2 High and low,
rich and poor—listen!
3 For my words are wise,
and my thoughts are filled with insight.
4 I listen carefully to many proverbs
and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.
5 Why should I fear when trouble comes,
when enemies surround me?
6 They trust in their wealth
and boast of great riches.
7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death[i]
by paying a ransom to God.
8 Redemption does not come so easily,
for no one can ever pay enough
9 to live forever
and never see the grave.
10 Those who are wise must finally die,
just like the foolish and senseless,
leaving all their wealth behind.
11 The grave[j] is their eternal home,
where they will stay forever.
They may name their estates after themselves,
12 but their fame will not last.
They will die, just like animals.
13 This is the fate of fools,
though they are remembered as being wise.[k] Interlude
14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave,[l]
where death will be their shepherd.
In the morning the godly will rule over them.
Their bodies will rot in the grave,
far from their grand estates.
15 But as for me, God will redeem my life.
He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude
16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich
and their homes become ever more splendid.
17 For when they die, they take nothing with them.
Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate
and are applauded for their success.
19 But they will die like all before them
and never again see the light of day.
20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand;
they will die, just like animals.
Psalm 50
A psalm of Asaph.
1 The Lord, the Mighty One, is God,
and he has spoken;
he has summoned all humanity
from where the sun rises to where it sets.
2 From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines in glorious radiance.
3 Our God approaches,
and he is not silent.
Fire devours everything in his way,
and a great storm rages around him.
4 He calls on the heavens above and earth below
to witness the judgment of his people.
5 “Bring my faithful people to me—
those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices.”
6 Then let the heavens proclaim his justice,
for God himself will be the judge. Interlude
7 “O my people, listen as I speak.
Here are my charges against you, O Israel:
I am God, your God!
8 I have no complaint about your sacrifices
or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.
9 But I do not need the bulls from your barns
or the goats from your pens.
10 For all the animals of the forest are mine,
and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird on the mountains,
and all the animals of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for all the world is mine and everything in it.
13 Do I eat the meat of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
15 Then call on me when you are in trouble,
and I will rescue you,
and you will give me glory.”
16 But God says to the wicked:
“Why bother reciting my decrees
and pretending to obey my covenant?
17 For you refuse my discipline
and treat my words like trash.
18 When you see thieves, you approve of them,
and you spend your time with adulterers.
19 Your mouth is filled with wickedness,
and your tongue is full of lies.
20 You sit around and slander your brother—
your own mother’s son.
21 While you did all this, I remained silent,
and you thought I didn’t care.
But now I will rebuke you,
listing all my charges against you.
22 Repent, all of you who forget me,
or I will tear you apart,
and no one will help you.
23 But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
If you keep to my path,
I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”
Footnotes
- 45:Title Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.
- 45:6 Or Your divine throne.
- 45:12 Hebrew The daughter of Tyre.
- 46:Title Hebrew according to alamoth.
- 46:7 Hebrew of Jacob; also in 46:11. See note on 44:4.
- 47:7 Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.
- 48:2 Or Mount Zion, in the far north; Hebrew reads Mount Zion, the heights of Zaphon.
- 48:12 Hebrew Zion.
- 49:7 Some Hebrew manuscripts read no one can redeem the life of another.
- 49:11 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads Their inward [thought].
- 49:13 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 49:14 Hebrew Sheol; also in 49:14b, 15.
Psalm 45-50
New International Version
Psalm 45-50
New International Version
Psalm 45[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.[b] A wedding song.(A)
1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
2 You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,(B)
since God has blessed you forever.(C)
3 Gird your sword(D) on your side, you mighty one;(E)
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.(F)
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously(G)
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;(H)
let your right hand(I) achieve awesome deeds.(J)
5 Let your sharp arrows(K) pierce the hearts(L) of the king’s enemies;(M)
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God,[c] will last for ever and ever;(N)
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness(O) and hate wickedness;(P)
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing(Q) you with the oil of joy.(R)
8 All your robes are fragrant(S) with myrrh(T) and aloes(U) and cassia;(V)
from palaces adorned with ivory(W)
the music of the strings(X) makes you glad.
9 Daughters of kings(Y) are among your honored women;
at your right hand(Z) is the royal bride(AA) in gold of Ophir.(AB)
10 Listen, daughter,(AC) and pay careful attention:(AD)
Forget your people(AE) and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;(AF)
honor(AG) him, for he is your lord.(AH)
12 The city of Tyre(AI) will come with a gift,[d](AJ)
people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious(AK) is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.(AL)
14 In embroidered garments(AM) she is led to the king;(AN)
her virgin companions(AO) follow her—
those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,(AP)
they enter the palace of the king.
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes(AQ) throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;(AR)
therefore the nations will praise you(AS) for ever and ever.(AT)
Psalm 46[e]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[f] A song.
1 God is our refuge(AU) and strength,(AV)
an ever-present(AW) help(AX) in trouble.(AY)
2 Therefore we will not fear,(AZ) though the earth give way(BA)
and the mountains fall(BB) into the heart of the sea,(BC)
3 though its waters roar(BD) and foam(BE)
and the mountains quake(BF) with their surging.[g]
4 There is a river(BG) whose streams(BH) make glad the city of God,(BI)
the holy place where the Most High(BJ) dwells.(BK)
5 God is within her,(BL) she will not fall;(BM)
God will help(BN) her at break of day.
6 Nations(BO) are in uproar,(BP) kingdoms(BQ) fall;
he lifts his voice,(BR) the earth melts.(BS)
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,(BX)
the desolations(BY) he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars(BZ) cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow(CA) and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[h] with fire.(CB)
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;(CC)
I will be exalted(CD) among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 47[i]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
2 For the Lord Most High(CI) is awesome,(CJ)
the great King(CK) over all the earth.
3 He subdued(CL) nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance(CM) for us,
the pride of Jacob,(CN) whom he loved.[j]
5 God has ascended(CO) amid shouts of joy,(CP)
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.(CQ)
6 Sing praises(CR) to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;(CS)
sing to him a psalm(CT) of praise.
8 God reigns(CU) over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.(CV)
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings[k] of the earth belong to God;(CW)
he is greatly exalted.(CX)
Psalm 48[l]
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1 Great is the Lord,(CY) and most worthy of praise,(CZ)
in the city of our God,(DA) his holy mountain.(DB)
2 Beautiful(DC) in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon[m](DD) is Mount Zion,(DE)
the city of the Great King.(DF)
3 God is in her citadels;(DG)
he has shown himself to be her fortress.(DH)
4 When the kings joined forces,
when they advanced together,(DI)
5 they saw her and were astounded;
they fled in terror.(DJ)
6 Trembling seized(DK) them there,
pain like that of a woman in labor.(DL)
7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish(DM)
shattered by an east wind.(DN)
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.[n](DO)
9 Within your temple, O God,
we meditate(DP) on your unfailing love.(DQ)
10 Like your name,(DR) O God,
your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;(DS)
your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion rejoices,
the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments.(DT)
12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers,(DU)
13 consider well her ramparts,(DV)
view her citadels,(DW)
that you may tell of them
to the next generation.(DX)
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide(DY) even to the end.
Psalm 49[o]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Hear(DZ) this, all you peoples;(EA)
listen, all who live in this world,(EB)
2 both low and high,(EC)
rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;(ED)
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.(EE)
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;(EF)
with the harp(EG) I will expound my riddle:(EH)
5 Why should I fear(EI) when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth(EJ)
and boast(EK) of their great riches?(EL)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom(EM) for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—(EN)
9 so that they should live on(EO) forever
and not see decay.(EP)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(EQ)
that the foolish and the senseless(ER) also perish,
leaving their wealth(ES) to others.(ET)
11 Their tombs(EU) will remain their houses[p] forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,(EV)
though they had[q] named(EW) lands after themselves.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,(EZ)
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[r]
14 They are like sheep and are destined(FA) to die;(FB)
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail(FC) 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;(FD)
he will surely take me to himself.(FE)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(FF) with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.(FG)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(FH)
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(FI)
who will never again see the light(FJ) of life.
Psalm 50
A psalm of Asaph.
1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord,(FM)
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.(FN)
2 From Zion,(FO) perfect in beauty,(FP)
God shines forth.(FQ)
3 Our God comes(FR)
and will not be silent;(FS)
a fire devours(FT) before him,(FU)
and around him a tempest(FV) rages.
4 He summons the heavens above,
and the earth,(FW) that he may judge his people:(FX)
5 “Gather to me this consecrated people,(FY)
who made a covenant(FZ) with me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens proclaim(GA) his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice.[s][t](GB)
7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify(GC) against you, Israel:
I am God, your God.(GD)
8 I bring no charges(GE) against you concerning your sacrifices
or concerning your burnt offerings,(GF) which are ever before me.
9 I have no need of a bull(GG) from your stall
or of goats(GH) from your pens,(GI)
10 for every animal of the forest(GJ) is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.(GK)
11 I know every bird(GL) in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields(GM) are mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world(GN) is mine, and all that is in it.(GO)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14 “Sacrifice thank offerings(GP) to God,
fulfill your vows(GQ) to the Most High,(GR)
15 and call(GS) on me in the day of trouble;(GT)
I will deliver(GU) you, and you will honor(GV) me.”
16 But to the wicked person, God says:
“What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant(GW) on your lips?(GX)
17 You hate(GY) my instruction
and cast my words behind(GZ) you.
18 When you see a thief, you join(HA) with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.(HB)
19 You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.(HC)
20 You sit and testify against your brother(HD)
and slander your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things and I kept silent,(HE)
you thought I was exactly[u] like you.
But I now arraign(HF) you
and set my accusations(HG) before you.
Footnotes
- Psalm 45:1 In Hebrew texts 45:1-17 is numbered 45:2-18.
- Psalm 45:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 45:6 Here the king is addressed as God’s representative.
- Psalm 45:12 Or A Tyrian robe is among the gifts
- Psalm 46:1 In Hebrew texts 46:1-11 is numbered 46:2-12.
- Psalm 46:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 46:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 11.
- Psalm 46:9 Or chariots
- Psalm 47:1 In Hebrew texts 47:1-9 is numbered 47:2-10.
- Psalm 47:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 47:9 Or shields
- Psalm 48:1 In Hebrew texts 48:1-14 is numbered 48:2-15.
- Psalm 48:2 Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
- Psalm 48:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 49:1 In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
- Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
- Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have
- Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
- Psalm 50:6 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text for God himself is judge
- Psalm 50:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 50:21 Or thought the ‘I am’ was
- Psalm 50:23 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; the meaning of the Masoretic Text for this phrase is uncertain.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.