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Psalm 47-51
Amplified Bible
Psalm 47-51
Amplified Bible
God the King of the Earth.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
47 O clap your hands, all you people;
Shout to God with the voice of triumph and songs of joy.
2
For the Lord Most High is to be feared [and worshiped with awe-inspired reverence and obedience];
He is a great King over all the earth.
3
He subdues peoples under us
And nations under our feet.
4
He chooses our inheritance for us,
The glory and excellence of Jacob whom He loves.(A) Selah.
5
God has ascended amid shouting,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
Sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7
For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises in a skillful psalm and with understanding.
8
God reigns over the nations;
God sits on His holy throne.
9
The princes of the people have gathered together as the people of the God of Abraham,
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is highly exalted.
The Beauty and Glory of Zion.
A Song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah.
48 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
In the city of our God, His holy mountain.
2
Fair and beautiful in elevation, the joy of all the earth,
Is Mount Zion [the City of David] in the far north,
The city of the great King.(B)
3
God, in her palaces,
Has made Himself known as a stronghold.
4
For, lo, the kings assembled themselves,
They [came and] passed by together.
5
They saw it, then they were amazed;
They were stricken with terror, they fled in alarm.
6
Panic seized them there,
And pain, as that of a woman in childbirth.
7
With the east wind
You shattered the ships of Tarshish.
8
As we have heard, so have we seen
In the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God:
God will establish her forever. Selah.
9
We have thought of Your lovingkindness, O God,
In the midst of Your temple.
10
As is Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness (rightness, justice).
11
Let Mount Zion be glad,
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
Because of Your [righteous] judgments.
12
Walk about Zion, go all around her;
Count her towers,
13
Consider her ramparts,
Go through her palaces,
That you may tell the next generation [about her glory].
14
For this is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will be our guide even until death.
The Folly of Trusting in Riches.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
49 Hear this, all peoples;
Listen carefully, all inhabitants of the world,
2
Both low and high,
Rich and poor together:
3
My mouth will speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.
4
I will incline my ear and consent to a proverb;
On the lyre I will unfold my riddle.
5
Why should I fear in the days of evil,
When the wickedness of those who would betray me surrounds me [on every side],
6
Even those who trust in and rely 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 his soul is too costly,
And he should cease trying forever—
9
So that he should live on eternally,
That he should never see the pit (grave) and undergo decay.
10
For he sees that even wise men die;
The fool and the stupid alike perish
And leave their wealth to others.(C)
11
Their inward thought is that their houses will continue forever,
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have named their lands after their own names [ignoring God].
12
But man, with all his [self] honor and pomp, will not endure;
He is like the beasts that perish.
13
This is the fate of those who are foolishly confident,
And of those after them who approve [and are influenced by] their words. Selah.
14
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead);
Death will be their shepherd;
And the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form and beauty shall [a]be for Sheol to consume,
So that they have no dwelling [on earth].
15
But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol,
For He will receive me. Selah.
16
Be not afraid when [an ungodly] man becomes 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 people praise you when you do well for yourself—
19
He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They shall never again see the light.
20
A man [who is held] in honor,
Yet who lacks [spiritual] understanding and a teachable heart, is like the beasts that perish.
God the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.
A Psalm of [b]Asaph
50 The mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken,
And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting [from east to west].
2
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God has shone forth.
3
May our God come and not keep silent;
Fire devours before Him,
And around Him a mighty tempest rages.
4
He summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:
5
“Gather My godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6
And the heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is judge. Selah.
7
“Hear, O My people, and I will speak;
O Israel, I will testify 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 young bull from your house
Nor male goat from your folds.
10
“For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
11
“I know every bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is [c]Mine.
12
“If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
For the world and all it contains are Mine.(D)
13
“Shall I eat the flesh of bulls
Or drink the blood of male goats?
14
“Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High;
15
Call on Me in the day of trouble;
I will rescue you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.”
16
But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite My statutes
Or to take My covenant on your lips?
17
“For you hate instruction and discipline
And cast My words behind you [discarding them].
18
“When you see a thief, you are pleased with him and condone his behavior,
And you associate 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 that I was just like you.
Now I will reprimand and denounce you and state the case in order before your eyes.
22
“Now consider this, you who forget God,
Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be no one to rescue [you].
23
“He who offers a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his way rightly [who follows the way that I show him],
I shall show the salvation of God.”
A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bathsheba.
51 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
2
Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt
And cleanse me from my sin.
3
For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them;
My sin is always before me.
4
Against You, You only, have I sinned
And done that which is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak [Your sentence]
And faultless in Your judgment.(E)
5
I was brought forth in [a state of] wickedness;
In sin my mother conceived me [and from my beginning I, too, was sinful].(F)
6
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part [of my heart] You will make me know wisdom.
7
Purify me with [d]hyssop, and I will be clean;
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8
Make me 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 iniquities.
10
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.
11
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted and return to You.
14
Rescue me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will sing joyfully of Your righteousness and Your justice.
15
O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
16
For You do not delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.(G)
17
My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.
18
By Your favor do good to Zion;
May You rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19
Then will You delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Footnotes
- Psalm 49:14 The ancient rabbis read this as “will wear out Sheol,” which also matches the Hebrew, and interpreted it as referring to unending punishment, i.e. punishment even outlasting Gehinnom (hell).
- Psalm 50:1 Asaph was a Levite and one of the leaders of David’s choir. He was the head of one of the three families permanently in charge of the temple music. His family formed a guild that bore his name and is frequently mentioned (2 Chr 20:14; 29:13, 30). Twelve psalms (50; 73-83) are attributed in the titles to the family of Asaph. A hundred and twenty-eight of Asaph’s family members, all singers, came back from Babylon and took part when the foundations of Zerubbabel’s temple were laid (Ezra 2:41; 3:10).
- Psalm 50:11 Or in my mind; lit with Me.
- Psalm 51:7 This evidently was a bristly plant which was useful as a kind of brush.
Psalm 47-51
New International Version
Psalm 47-51
New International Version
Psalm 47[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
2 For the Lord Most High(C) is awesome,(D)
the great King(E) over all the earth.
3 He subdued(F) nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance(G) for us,
the pride of Jacob,(H) whom he loved.[b]
5 God has ascended(I) amid shouts of joy,(J)
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.(K)
6 Sing praises(L) to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;(M)
sing to him a psalm(N) of praise.
8 God reigns(O) over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.(P)
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings[c] of the earth belong to God;(Q)
he is greatly exalted.(R)
Psalm 48[d]
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1 Great is the Lord,(S) and most worthy of praise,(T)
in the city of our God,(U) his holy mountain.(V)
2 Beautiful(W) in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon[e](X) is Mount Zion,(Y)
the city of the Great King.(Z)
3 God is in her citadels;(AA)
he has shown himself to be her fortress.(AB)
4 When the kings joined forces,
when they advanced together,(AC)
5 they saw her and were astounded;
they fled in terror.(AD)
6 Trembling seized(AE) them there,
pain like that of a woman in labor.(AF)
7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish(AG)
shattered by an east wind.(AH)
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.[f](AI)
9 Within your temple, O God,
we meditate(AJ) on your unfailing love.(AK)
10 Like your name,(AL) O God,
your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;(AM)
your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion rejoices,
the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments.(AN)
12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers,(AO)
13 consider well her ramparts,(AP)
view her citadels,(AQ)
that you may tell of them
to the next generation.(AR)
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide(AS) even to the end.
Psalm 49[g]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Hear(AT) this, all you peoples;(AU)
listen, all who live in this world,(AV)
2 both low and high,(AW)
rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;(AX)
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.(AY)
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;(AZ)
with the harp(BA) I will expound my riddle:(BB)
5 Why should I fear(BC) when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth(BD)
and boast(BE) of their great riches?(BF)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom(BG) for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—(BH)
9 so that they should live on(BI) forever
and not see decay.(BJ)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(BK)
that the foolish and the senseless(BL) also perish,
leaving their wealth(BM) to others.(BN)
11 Their tombs(BO) will remain their houses[h] forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,(BP)
though they had[i] named(BQ) lands after themselves.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,(BT)
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[j]
14 They are like sheep and are destined(BU) to die;(BV)
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail(BW) 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;(BX)
he will surely take me to himself.(BY)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(BZ) with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.(CA)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(CB)
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(CC)
who will never again see the light(CD) of life.
Psalm 50
A psalm of Asaph.
1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord,(CG)
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.(CH)
2 From Zion,(CI) perfect in beauty,(CJ)
God shines forth.(CK)
3 Our God comes(CL)
and will not be silent;(CM)
a fire devours(CN) before him,(CO)
and around him a tempest(CP) rages.
4 He summons the heavens above,
and the earth,(CQ) that he may judge his people:(CR)
5 “Gather to me this consecrated people,(CS)
who made a covenant(CT) with me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens proclaim(CU) his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice.[k][l](CV)
7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify(CW) against you, Israel:
I am God, your God.(CX)
8 I bring no charges(CY) against you concerning your sacrifices
or concerning your burnt offerings,(CZ) which are ever before me.
9 I have no need of a bull(DA) from your stall
or of goats(DB) from your pens,(DC)
10 for every animal of the forest(DD) is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.(DE)
11 I know every bird(DF) in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields(DG) are mine.
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world(DH) is mine, and all that is in it.(DI)
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14 “Sacrifice thank offerings(DJ) to God,
fulfill your vows(DK) to the Most High,(DL)
15 and call(DM) on me in the day of trouble;(DN)
I will deliver(DO) you, and you will honor(DP) me.”
16 But to the wicked person, God says:
“What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant(DQ) on your lips?(DR)
17 You hate(DS) my instruction
and cast my words behind(DT) you.
18 When you see a thief, you join(DU) with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.(DV)
19 You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.(DW)
20 You sit and testify against your brother(DX)
and slander your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things and I kept silent,(DY)
you thought I was exactly[m] like you.
But I now arraign(DZ) you
and set my accusations(EA) before you.
22 “Consider this, you who forget God,(EB)
or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:(EC)
23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,
and to the blameless[n] I will show my salvation.(ED)”
Psalm 51[o]
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.(EE)
1 Have mercy(EF) on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;(EG)
according to your great compassion(EH)
blot out(EI) my transgressions.(EJ)
2 Wash away(EK) all my iniquity
and cleanse(EL) me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.(EM)
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned(EN)
and done what is evil in your sight;(EO)
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.(EP)
5 Surely I was sinful(EQ) at birth,(ER)
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom(ES) in that secret place.(ET)
7 Cleanse(EU) me with hyssop,(EV) and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.(EW)
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;(EX)
let the bones(EY) you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins(EZ)
and blot out(FA) all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart,(FB) O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.(FC)
11 Do not cast me(FD) from your presence(FE)
or take your Holy Spirit(FF) from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation(FG)
and grant me a willing spirit,(FH) to sustain me.(FI)
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,(FJ)
so that sinners(FK) will turn back to you.(FL)
14 Deliver me(FM) from the guilt of bloodshed,(FN) O God,
you who are God my Savior,(FO)
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.(FP)
15 Open my lips, Lord,(FQ)
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice,(FR) or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice,(FS) O God, is[p] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart(FT)
you, God, will not despise.
Footnotes
- 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.
- Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
- Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are
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