5 Therefore, since we are justified (^[a]acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to ^[b]enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

² Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.

³ Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

⁴ And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of ^[c]character (approved faith and ^[d]tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] ^[e]joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

⁵ Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

⁶ While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly.

⁷ Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die.

⁸ But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

⁹ Therefore, since we are now justified (^[f]acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ’s blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God.

¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [^[g]resurrection] life.

¹¹ Not only so, but we also rejoice and exultingly glory in God [in His love and perfection] through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received and enjoy [our] reconciliation.^(A)

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Psalm 49

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹ Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,

² Both low and high, rich and poor together:

³ My mouth shall speak wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

⁴ I will submit and consent to a parable or proverb; to the music of a lyre I will unfold my riddle (my problem).

⁵ Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of those who would supplant me surrounds me on every side,

⁶ Even of those who trust in and lean on their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

⁷ None of them can by any means redeem [either himself or] his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him—

⁸ For the ransom of a life is too costly, and [the price one can pay] can never suffice—

⁹ So that he should live on forever and never see the pit (the grave) and corruption.

¹⁰ For he sees that even wise men die; the [self-confident] fool and the stupid alike perish and leave their wealth to others.

¹¹ Their inward thought is that their houses will continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands their own [apart from God] and after their own names.

¹² But man, with all his honor and pomp, does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.

¹³ This is the fate of those who are foolishly confident, yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

¹⁴ Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol (the place of the dead); death shall be their shepherd. And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their form and beauty shall be consumed, for Sheol shall be their dwelling.

¹⁵ But God will redeem me from the power of Sheol (the place of the dead); for He will receive me. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

¹⁶ Be not afraid when [an ungodly] one is made rich, when the wealth and glory of his house are increased;

¹⁷ For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.

¹⁸ Though while he lives he counts himself happy and prosperous, and though a man gets praise when he does well [for himself],

¹⁹ He will go to the generation of his fathers, who will nevermore see the light.

²⁰ A man who is held in honor and understands not is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 50

A Psalm of ^[a]Asaph.

¹ The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and calls the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

² Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

³ Our God comes and does not keep silence; a fire devours before Him, and round about Him a mighty tempest rages.

⁴ He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that He may judge His people:

⁵ Gather together to Me My saints [those who have found grace in My sight], those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.

⁶ And the heavens declare His righteousness (rightness and justice), for God, He is judge. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

⁷ Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify to you and against you: I am God, your God.

⁸ I do not reprove you for your sacrifices; your burnt offerings are continually before Me.

⁹ I will accept no bull from your house nor he-goat out of your folds.

¹⁰ For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills or upon the mountains where thousands are.

¹¹ I know and am acquainted with all the birds of the mountains, and the wild animals of the field are Mine and are with Me, in My mind.

¹² If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are Mine.^(A)

¹³ Shall I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴ Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High,

¹⁵ And call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.

¹⁶ But to the wicked, God says: What right have you to recite My statutes or take My covenant or pledge on your lips,

¹⁷ Seeing that you hate instruction and correction and cast My words behind you [discarding them]?

¹⁸ When you see a thief, you associate with him, and you have taken part with adulterers.

¹⁹ You give your mouth to evil, 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 kept silent; you thought I was once entirely like you. But [now] I will reprove you and put [the charge] in order before your eyes.

²² Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

²³ He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God.

Psalm 51

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bathsheba.

¹ Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender mercy and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions.

² Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!

³ For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them; my sin is ever before me.

⁴ Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment.^(B)

⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in [a state of] iniquity; my mother was sinful who conceived me [and I too am sinful].^(C)

⁶ Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart.

⁷ Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean [ceremonially]; wash me, and I shall [in reality] be whiter than snow.

⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness and be satisfied; let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

⁹ Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my guilt and iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.

¹¹ Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.

¹³ Then will I teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted and return to You.

¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness and death, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness (Your rightness and Your justice).

¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

¹⁶ For You delight not in sacrifice, or else would I give it; You find no pleasure in burnt offering.^(D)

¹⁷ My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.

¹⁸ Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹ Then will You delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, justice, and right, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then bullocks will be offered upon Your altar.