Psalm 51

For the end, a Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, when he had gone to Bersabee.

¹ Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to

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the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgression. ² Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I am conscious of mine iniquity; and my sin is continually before me. ⁴ Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. ⁵ For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me.

⁶ For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom. ⁷ Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. ⁸ Thou shalt cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice. ⁹ Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. ¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and remove not thy holy Spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of thy salvation: establish me with thy ¹directing Spirit.

¹³ Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee. ¹⁴ Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness. ¹⁵ O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise. ¹⁶ For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given it: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings. ¹⁷ Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.

¹⁸ Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. ¹⁹ Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, ²offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.

Psalm 52

For the end, a Psalm of ³instruction by David, when Doec the Idumean came and told Saul, and said to him, David is gone to the house of Abimelech.

¹ Why dost thou, O mighty man, boast of iniquity in thy mischief? All the day ² thy tongue has devised unrighteousness; like a sharpened razor thou hast wrought deceit. ³ Thou hast loved wickedness more than goodness; unrighteousness better than to speak righteousness. Pause. ⁴ Thou has loved all words of destruction, and a deceitful tongue.

⁵ Therefore may God destroy thee for ever, may he pluck thee up and utterly remove thee from thy dwelling, and thy root from the land of the living. Pause. ⁶ And the righteous shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say, ⁷ Behold the man who made not God his help; but trusted in the abundance of his wealth, and strengthened himself in his vanity.

⁸ But I am as a fruitful olive in the house of God: I have trusted in the mercy of

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God for ever, even for evermore. ⁹ I will give thanks to thee for ever, for thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before the saints.