Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when (A)Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

51 (B)Have mercy on me,[a] O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your (C)abundant mercy
    (D)blot out my transgressions.
(E)Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and (F)cleanse me from my sin!

(G)For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
(H)Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil (I)in your sight,
(J)so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, (K)I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in (L)the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me (M)with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    (N)wash me, and I shall be (O)whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
    (P)let the bones (Q)that you have broken rejoice.
(R)Hide your face from my sins,
    and (S)blot out all my iniquities.
10 (T)Create in me a (U)clean heart, O God,
    and (V)renew a right[b] spirit within me.
11 (W)Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not (X)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 (Y)return to you.
14 Deliver me from (Z)bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O (AA)God of my salvation,
    and (AB)my tongue will sing aloud of your (AC)righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 (AD)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 (AE)a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 (AF)Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
    (AG)build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in (AH)right sacrifices,
    in burnt offerings and (AI)whole burnt offerings;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

The Steadfast Love of God Endures

To the choirmaster. A Maskil[c] of David, when (AJ)Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

52 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
    The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
Your (AK)tongue plots destruction,
    like (AL)a sharp razor, you (AM)worker of deceit.
You love evil more than good,
    and (AN)lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
You love all words that devour,
    O deceitful tongue.

But God will break you down forever;
    he will snatch and (AO)tear you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from (AP)the land of the living. Selah
The righteous shall (AQ)see and fear,
    and shall (AR)laugh at him, saying,
“See the man who would not make
    God his refuge,
but (AS)trusted in the abundance of his riches
    and sought refuge in his own destruction!”[d]

But I am like (AT)a green olive tree
    in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
    forever and ever.
I will thank you forever,
    because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, (AU)for it is good,
    in the presence of the (AV)godly.

There Is None Who Does Good

To the choirmaster: according to (AW)Mahalath. A Maskil[e] of David.

53 (AX)The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.

God looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,[f]
    who seek after God.

They have all fallen away;
    together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
    not even one.

Have those who work evil no knowledge,
    who eat up my people as they eat bread,
    and do not call upon God?

There they are, in great terror,
    (AY)where there is no terror!
For God (AZ)scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;
    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

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

The Lord Upholds My Life

To the choirmaster: with (BA)stringed instruments. A Maskil[g] of David, (BB)when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?”

54 O God, save me by your (BC)name,
    and vindicate me by your might.
O God, (BD)hear my prayer;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.

(BE)For (BF)strangers[h] have risen against me;
    ruthless men (BG)seek my life;
    they do not set God before themselves. Selah

Behold, (BH)God is my helper;
    the Lord is the upholder of my life.
He will return the evil to my enemies;
    in your (BI)faithfulness (BJ)put an end to them.

With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
    I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, (BK)for it is good.
For he has delivered me from every trouble,
    and my eye has (BL)looked in triumph on my enemies.

Cast Your Burden on the Lord

To the choirmaster: with (BM)stringed instruments. A Maskil[i] of David.

55 (BN)Give ear to my prayer, O God,
    and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
Attend to me, and answer me;
    I am restless (BO)in my complaint and I (BP)moan,
because of the noise of the enemy,
    because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they (BQ)drop trouble upon me,
    and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

My heart is in anguish within me;
    (BR)the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fear and trembling come upon me,
    and (BS)horror (BT)overwhelms me.
And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest;
(BU)yes, I would wander far away;
    I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
I would hurry to find a shelter
    from (BV)the raging wind and tempest.”

Destroy, O Lord, (BW)divide their tongues;
    for I see (BX)violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it
    on its walls,
and (BY)iniquity and trouble are within it;
11     ruin is in its midst;
(BZ)oppression and fraud
    do not depart from its marketplace.

12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
    then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who (CA)deals insolently with me—
    then I could hide from him.
13 (CB)But it is you, a man, my equal,
    my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
    within God's house we walked in (CC)the throng.
15 Let death steal over them;
    let them go down to Sheol (CD)alive;
    for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

16 But I call to God,
    and the Lord will save me.
17 (CE)Evening and (CF)morning and at (CG)noon
    I (CH)utter my complaint and moan,
    and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety
    from the battle that I wage,
    for (CI)many are arrayed against me.
19 God will give ear and humble them,
    he who is (CJ)enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not (CK)change
    and do not fear God.

20 My companion[j] (CL)stretched out his hand against his friends;
    he violated his covenant.
21 His (CM)speech was (CN)smooth as butter,
    yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
    yet they were (CO)drawn swords.

22 (CP)Cast your burden on the Lord,
    and he will sustain you;
(CQ)he will never permit
    the righteous to be moved.

23 But you, O God, (CR)will cast them down
    into (CS)the pit of destruction;
men of (CT)blood and treachery
    shall not (CU)live out half their days.
But I will (CV)trust in you.

In God I Trust

To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A (CW)Miktam[k] of David, when the (CX)Philistines seized him in Gath.

56 (CY)Be gracious to me, O God, for man (CZ)tramples on me;
    all day long an attacker oppresses me;
my enemies trample on me all day long,
    for many attack me proudly.
When I am afraid,
    I (DA)put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; (DB)I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

All day long they injure my cause;[l]
    all their thoughts are against me for evil.
They (DC)stir up strife, they (DD)lurk;
    they (DE)watch my steps,
    as they have waited for my life.
For their crime will they escape?
    (DF)In wrath (DG)cast down the peoples, O God!

You have kept count of my tossings;[m]
    (DH)put my tears in your bottle.
    (DI)Are they not in your book?
Then my enemies will turn back
    (DJ)in the day when I call.
    This I know, that[n] (DK)God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; (DL)I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?

12 I must perform my (DM)vows to you, O God;
    I will (DN)render thank offerings to you.
13 (DO)For you have delivered my soul from death,
    yes, my feet from falling,
(DP)that I may walk before God
    (DQ)in the light of life.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 51:1 Or Be gracious to me
  2. Psalm 51:10 Or steadfast
  3. Psalm 52:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  4. Psalm 52:7 Or in his work of destruction
  5. Psalm 53:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
  6. Psalm 53:2 Or who act wisely
  7. Psalm 54:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  8. Psalm 54:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Targum insolent men (compare Psalm 86:14)
  9. Psalm 55:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  10. Psalm 55:20 Hebrew He
  11. Psalm 56:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  12. Psalm 56:5 Or they twist my words
  13. Psalm 56:8 Or wanderings
  14. Psalm 56:9 Or because

Psalm 51[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.(A)

Have mercy(B) on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;(C)
according to your great compassion(D)
    blot out(E) my transgressions.(F)
Wash away(G) all my iniquity
    and cleanse(H) me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.(I)
Against you, you only, have I sinned(J)
    and done what is evil in your sight;(K)
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.(L)
Surely I was sinful(M) at birth,(N)
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom(O) in that secret place.(P)

Cleanse(Q) me with hyssop,(R) and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.(S)
Let me hear joy and gladness;(T)
    let the bones(U) you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins(V)
    and blot out(W) all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart,(X) O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.(Y)
11 Do not cast me(Z) from your presence(AA)
    or take your Holy Spirit(AB) from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation(AC)
    and grant me a willing spirit,(AD) to sustain me.(AE)

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,(AF)
    so that sinners(AG) will turn back to you.(AH)
14 Deliver me(AI) from the guilt of bloodshed,(AJ) O God,
    you who are God my Savior,(AK)
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.(AL)
15 Open my lips, Lord,(AM)
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice,(AN) or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice,(AO) O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart(AP)
    you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,(AQ)
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.(AR)
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,(AS)
    in burnt offerings(AT) offered whole;
    then bulls(AU) will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 52[c]

For the director of music. A maskil[d] of David. When Doeg the Edomite(AV) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
    Why do you boast(AW) all day long,(AX)
    you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
You who practice deceit,(AY)
    your tongue plots destruction;(AZ)
    it is like a sharpened razor.(BA)
You love evil(BB) rather than good,
    falsehood(BC) rather than speaking the truth.[e]
You love every harmful word,
    you deceitful tongue!(BD)

Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
    He will snatch you up and pluck(BE) you from your tent;
    he will uproot(BF) you from the land of the living.(BG)
The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh(BH) at you, saying,
“Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold(BI)
but trusted in his great wealth(BJ)
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

But I am like an olive tree(BK)
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust(BL) in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
For what you have done I will always praise you(BM)
    in the presence of your faithful people.(BN)
And I will hope in your name,(BO)
    for your name is good.(BP)

Psalm 53[f](BQ)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.[g] A maskil[h] of David.

The fool(BR) says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”(BS)
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

God looks down from heaven(BT)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(BU)
    any who seek God.(BV)
Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.(BW)

Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.(BX)
God scattered the bones(BY) of those who attacked you;(BZ)
    you put them to shame,(CA) for God despised them.(CB)

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

Psalm 54[i]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[j] of David. When the Ziphites(CC) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Save me(CD), O God, by your name;(CE)
    vindicate me by your might.(CF)
Hear my prayer, O God;(CG)
    listen to the words of my mouth.

Arrogant foes are attacking me;(CH)
    ruthless people(CI) are trying to kill me(CJ)
    people without regard for God.[k](CK)

Surely God is my help;(CL)
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.(CM)

Let evil recoil(CN) on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness(CO) destroy them.

I will sacrifice a freewill offering(CP) to you;
    I will praise(CQ) your name, Lord, for it is good.(CR)
You have delivered me(CS) from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.(CT)

Psalm 55[l]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[m] of David.

Listen to my prayer, O God,
    do not ignore my plea;(CU)
    hear me and answer me.(CV)
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught(CW)
    because of what my enemy is saying,
    because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me(CX)
    and assail(CY) me in their anger.(CZ)

My heart is in anguish(DA) within me;
    the terrors(DB) of death have fallen on me.
Fear and trembling(DC) have beset me;
    horror(DD) has overwhelmed me.
I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest.
I would flee far away
    and stay in the desert;[n](DE)
I would hurry to my place of shelter,(DF)
    far from the tempest and storm.(DG)

Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,(DH)
    for I see violence and strife(DI) in the city.(DJ)
10 Day and night they prowl(DK) about on its walls;
    malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces(DL) are at work in the city;
    threats and lies(DM) never leave its streets.

12 If an enemy were insulting me,
    I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
    I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
    my companion, my close friend,(DN)
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship(DO)
    at the house of God,(DP)
as we walked about
    among the worshipers.

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;(DQ)
    let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,(DR)
    for evil finds lodging among them.

16 As for me, I call to God,
    and the Lord saves me.
17 Evening,(DS) morning(DT) and noon(DU)
    I cry out in distress,
    and he hears my voice.
18 He rescues me unharmed
    from the battle waged against me,
    even though many oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned from of old,(DV)
    who does not change—
he will hear(DW) them and humble them,
    because they have no fear of God.(DX)

20 My companion attacks his friends;(DY)
    he violates his covenant.(DZ)
21 His talk is smooth as butter,(EA)
    yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,(EB)
    yet they are drawn swords.(EC)

22 Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;(ED)
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.(EE)
23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked
    into the pit(EF) of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful(EG)
    will not live out half their days.(EH)

But as for me, I trust in you.(EI)

Psalm 56[o]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.[p] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

Be merciful to me,(EJ) my God,
    for my enemies are in hot pursuit;(EK)
    all day long they press their attack.(EL)
My adversaries pursue me all day long;(EM)
    in their pride many are attacking me.(EN)

When I am afraid,(EO) I put my trust in you.(EP)
    In God, whose word I praise—(EQ)
in God I trust and am not afraid.(ER)
    What can mere mortals do to me?(ES)

All day long they twist my words;(ET)
    all their schemes are for my ruin.
They conspire,(EU) they lurk,
    they watch my steps,(EV)
    hoping to take my life.(EW)
Because of their wickedness do not[q] let them escape;(EX)
    in your anger, God, bring the nations down.(EY)

Record my misery;
    list my tears on your scroll[r](EZ)
    are they not in your record?(FA)
Then my enemies will turn back(FB)
    when I call for help.(FC)
    By this I will know that God is for me.(FD)

10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11 in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can man do to me?

12 I am under vows(FE) to you, my God;
    I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death(FF)
    and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.(FG)

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
  2. Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are
  3. Psalm 52:1 In Hebrew texts 52:1-9 is numbered 52:3-11.
  4. Psalm 52:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  5. Psalm 52:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 5.
  6. Psalm 53:1 In Hebrew texts 53:1-6 is numbered 53:2-7.
  7. Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  8. Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  9. Psalm 54:1 In Hebrew texts 54:1-7 is numbered 54:3-9.
  10. Psalm 54:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  11. Psalm 54:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  12. Psalm 55:1 In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.
  13. Psalm 55:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  14. Psalm 55:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.
  15. Psalm 56:1 In Hebrew texts 56:1-13 is numbered 56:2-14.
  16. Psalm 56:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  17. Psalm 56:7 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have do not.
  18. Psalm 56:8 Or misery; / put my tears in your wineskin