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Psalm 47-51
Easy-to-Read Version
Psalm 47-51
Easy-to-Read Version
To the director: A song from the Korah family.
47 Everyone, clap your hands.
Shout with joy to God!
2 The Lord Most High is awesome.
He is the great King over all the earth.
3 He helped us defeat other nations.
He put those people under our control.
4 He chose our land for us.
He chose that wonderful land for Jacob, the one he loved. Selah
5 The Lord God goes up to his throne
at the sound of the trumpet and horn.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 God is the King of the whole world.
Sing songs of praise![a]
8 God sits on his holy throne;
he rules all the nations.
9 The leaders of the nations have come together
with the people of the God of Abraham.
All the rulers of the world belong to God.
He is over them all!
A song of praise from the Korah family.
48 The Lord is great!
He is praised throughout the city of our God, his holy mountain.
2 His city is such a pleasant place.
It brings joy to people from around the world.
Mount Zion is the true mountain of God.[b]
It is the city of the great King.
3 In the palaces of that city,
God is known as the fortress.
4 Once some kings met together
and planned an attack against this city.
They marched toward the city,
5 but when they saw it, they were amazed.
They all panicked and ran away.
6 Fear grabbed them;
they trembled like a woman giving birth.
7 God, with a strong east wind,
you wrecked their big ships.
8 Yes, we heard the stories about your power.
But we also saw it in the city of our God, the city of the Lord All-Powerful.
God makes that city strong forever. Selah
9 God, in your Temple we remember your loving kindness.
10 Your name is known everywhere, God,
and people throughout the earth praise you.
You have shown that you do what is right.
11 Mount Zion is happy,
and the towns of Judah rejoice, because your decisions are fair.
12 Walk around Jerusalem,
and count its towers.
13 Look at the tall walls,
and see the palaces.
Then you can tell the next generation about them.
14 This God is our God forever and ever.
He will lead us from now to the end of time!
To the director: A song from the Korah family.
49 Listen to this, all you nations.
Pay attention, all you people on earth.
2 Everyone, rich and poor, listen to me.
3 I have some very wise words for you.
My thoughts will give you understanding.
4 I listened to these sayings.
And now, with my harp, I will sing and make the hidden meaning clear.
5 Why should I be afraid when trouble comes?
There is no need to fear when evil enemies surround me.
6 They think their wealth will protect them.
They brag about how rich they are.
7 But no one has enough to buy back a life,
and you cannot bribe[c] God.
8 You will never get enough money
to pay for your own life.
9 You will never have enough
to buy the right to live forever
and keep your body out of the grave.
10 Look, the wise die the same as fools and stupid people.[d]
They die and leave their wealth to others.
11 The grave will be their new home forever.
And how much land they owned will not make any difference.
12 People might be wealthy, but they cannot stay here forever.
They will die like the animals.
13 That is what happens to all who trust in themselves
and to anyone who accepts their way of life. Selah
14 They are just like sheep, but the grave will be their pen.
Death will be their shepherd.
When morning comes, the good people will enjoy victory,
as the bodies of the proud slowly rot in the grave,
far away from their fancy houses.
15 But God will pay the price to save me from the grave.
He will take me to be with him. Selah
16 Don’t be afraid of people just because they are rich.
Don’t be afraid of people just because they have big, fancy houses.
17 They will not take anything with them when they die.
They will not take their wealth with them.
18 A wealthy man might tell himself how well he has done in life.
And other people might praise him.
19 But the time will come for him to die and go to his ancestors.
And he will never again see the light of day.
20 Wealthy people don’t seem to understand
that they will die like the animals.
One of Asaph’s songs.
50 The Lord God Most Powerful has spoken.
He calls to everyone on earth, from where the sun rises to where it sets.
2 God appeared from Zion, the city of perfect beauty.[e]
3 Our God is coming and will not keep quiet.
Fire burns in front of him.
There is a great storm around him.
4 He tells the sky and the earth to be witnesses
as he judges his people.
5 He says, “My followers, gather around me.
Come, my worshipers, who made an agreement with me.”
6 God is the judge,
and the skies tell how fair he is. Selah
7 God says, “My people, listen to me!
People of Israel, I will show my evidence against you.
I am God, your God.
8 The problem I have with you is not your sacrifices
or the burnt offerings you bring to me everyday.
9 Why would I want more bulls from your barns
or goats from your pens?
10 I already own all the animals in the forest.
I own all the animals on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird in the mountains.
Everything that moves in the fields is mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not ask you for food.
I already own the world and everything in it.
13 I don’t eat the meat of bulls or drink the blood of goats.”
14 You made promises to God Most High, so give him what you promised.
Bring your sacrifices and thank offerings.
15 God says, “Call me when trouble comes.
I will help you, and you will honor me.”
16 But God says to the wicked,
“Stop quoting my laws!
Stop talking about my agreement!
17 You hate for me to tell you what to do.
You ignore what I say.
18 You see a thief and run to join him.
You jump into bed with those who commit adultery.
19 You say evil things and tell lies.
20 You sit around talking about people,
finding fault with your own brothers.
21 When you did these things, I said nothing.
So you thought that I[f] was just like you.
But I will not be quiet any longer.
I will correct you and make clear what I have against you.
22 You people who have forgotten God,
understand what I am telling you,
or I will tear you apart,
and no one will be able to save you!
23 Whoever gives a thank offering shows me honor.
And whoever decides to live right will see my power to save.”
To the director: A song of David written when Nathan the prophet came to him after David’s sin with Bathsheba.
51 God, be merciful to me
because of your faithful love.
Because of your great compassion,
erase all the wrongs I have done.
2 Scrub away my guilt.
Wash me clean from my sin.
3 I know I have done wrong.
I remember that sin all the time.
4 I did what you said is wrong.
You are the one I have sinned against.
I say this so that people will know
that I am wrong and you are right.
What you decided is fair.
5 I was born to do wrong,
a sinner before I left my mother’s womb.
6 You want me to be completely loyal,
so put true wisdom deep inside of me.
7 Remove my sin and make me pure.[g]
Wash me until I am whiter than snow!
8 Let me hear sounds of joy and happiness again.
Let the bones you crushed be happy again.
9 Don’t look at my sins.
Erase them all.
10 God, create a pure heart in me,
and make my spirit strong again.
11 Don’t push me away
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Your help made me so happy.
Give me that joy again.
Make my spirit strong and ready to obey you.
13 I will teach the guilty how you want them to live,
and the sinners will come back to you.
14 God, spare me from the punishment of death.[h]
My God, you are the one who saves me!
Let me sing about all the good things you do for me!
15 My Lord, I will open my mouth and sing your praises!
16 You don’t really want sacrifices,
or I would give them to you.
17 The sacrifice that God wants is a humble spirit.
God, you will not turn away someone who comes with a humble heart and is willing to obey you.[i]
18 God, please be good to Zion.
Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you can enjoy the kind of sacrifices you want.[j]
You will receive whole burnt offerings,
and people will again offer bulls on your altar.
Footnotes
- Psalm 47:7 songs of praise Literally, “ maskil.” See “maskil” in the Word List.
- Psalm 48:2 true mountain of God Literally, “the summit of Zaphon.” In Canaanite stories, Mt. Zaphon was where the gods lived.
- Psalm 49:7 bribe Here, this means offering a gift or sacrifice so that God will not punish a guilty person.
- Psalm 49:10 stupid people Or “animals.”
- Psalm 50:2 God … beauty Or “God shining from Zion is absolutely beautiful.”
- Psalm 50:21 that I Or “that the ‘I Am.’”
- Psalm 51:7 Remove … pure Literally, “Cleanse me with hyssop.” See “hyssop” in the Word List.
- Psalm 51:14 spare … death Or “don’t consider me guilty of murder.”
- Psalm 51:17 someone … obey you Literally, “a broken and crushed heart.”
- Psalm 51:19 the kind … you want Or “the offering of righteousness.”
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
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.