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Psalm 47-51
GOD’S WORD Translation
Psalm 47-51
GOD’S WORD Translation
For the choir director; a psalm by Korah’s descendants.
47 Clap your hands, all you people.
Shout to God with a loud, joyful song.
2 We must fear the Lord, the Most High.
He is the great king of the whole earth.
3 He brings people under our authority
and ⌞puts⌟ nations under our feet.
4 He chooses our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. Selah
5 God has gone up with a joyful shout.
The Lord has gone up with the sound of a ram’s horn.
6 Make music to praise God.
Play music for him!
Make music to praise our king.
Play music for him!
7 God is the king of the whole earth.
Make your best music for him!
8 God rules the nations.
He sits upon his holy throne.
9 The influential people from the nations gather together
as the people of the God of Abraham.
The rulers of the earth belong to God.
He rules everything.
A song; a psalm by Korah’s descendants.
48 The Lord is great.
He should be highly praised.
His holy mountain is in the city of our God.
2 Its beautiful peak is the joy of the whole earth.
Mount Zion is on the northern ridge.
It is the city of the great king.
3 God is in its palaces.
He has proved that he is a stronghold.
4 The kings have gathered.
They marched together.
5 ⌞When⌟ they saw ⌞Mount Zion⌟,
they were astonished.
They were terrified and ran away in fear.
6 Trembling seized them
like the trembling that a woman experiences during labor.
7 With the east wind you smash the ships of Tarshish.
8 The things we had only heard about, we have now seen
in the city of the Lord of Armies,
in the city of our God.
God makes Zion stand firm forever. Selah
9 Inside your temple we carefully reflect on your mercy, O God.
10 Like your name, O God,
your praise ⌞reaches⌟ to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad
and the cities of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments.
12 Walk around Zion.
Go around it.
Count its towers.
13 Examine its embankments.
Walk through its palaces.
Then you can tell the next generation,
14 “This God is our God forever and ever.
He will lead us beyond death.”
For the choir director; a psalm by Korah’s descendants.
49 Listen to this, all you people.
Open your ears, all who live in the world—
2 common people and important ones,
rich people and poor ones.
3 My mouth will speak wise sayings,
the insights I have carefully considered.
4 I will turn my attention to a proverb.
I will explain my riddle with the ⌞music of⌟ a lyre.
5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
when slanderers surround me with evil?
6 They trust their riches
and brag about their abundant wealth.
7 No one can ever buy back another person
or pay God a ransom for his life.
8 The price to be paid for his soul is too costly.
He must always give up
9 in order to live forever and never see the pit.
10 Indeed, one can see that wise people die,
that foolish and stupid people meet the same end.
They leave their riches to others.
11 Although they named their lands after themselves,
their graves [a] have become their homes for ages to come,
their dwelling places throughout every generation.
12 But mortals will not continue here with what they treasure.
They are like animals that die.
13 This is the final outcome for fools and their followers
who are delighted by what they say: Selah
14 Like sheep, they are driven to hell
with death as their shepherd.
(Decent people will rule them in the morning.)
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far away from their comfortable homes.
15 But God will buy me back from the power of hell
because he will take me. Selah
16 Do not be afraid when someone becomes rich,
when the greatness of his house increases.
17 He will not take anything with him when he dies.
His greatness cannot follow him.
18 Even though he blesses himself while he is alive
(and they praise you when you do well for yourself),
19 he must join the generation of his ancestors,
who will never see light ⌞again⌟.
20 Mortals, with what they treasure, still don’t have understanding.
They are like animals that die.
A psalm by Asaph.
50 The Lord, the only true God, has spoken.
He has summoned the earth
from where the sun rises to where it sets.
2 God shines from Zion,
the perfection of beauty.
3 Our God will come and will not remain silent.
A devouring fire is in front of him
and a raging storm around him.
4 He summons heaven and earth to judge his people:
5 “Gather around me, my godly people
who have made a pledge to me through sacrifices.”
6 The heavens announce his righteousness
because God is the judge. Selah
7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak.
Listen, Israel, and I will testify against you:
I am God, your God!
8 I am not criticizing you for your sacrifices or burnt offerings,
which are always in front of me.
9 ⌞But⌟ I will not accept ⌞another⌟ young bull from your household
or a single male goat from your pens.
10 Every creature in the forest,
⌞even⌟ the cattle on a thousand hills, is mine.
11 I know every bird in the mountains.
Everything that moves in the fields is mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
because the world and all that it contains are mine.
13 Do I eat the meat of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14 Bring ⌞your⌟ thanks to God as a sacrifice,
and keep your vows to the Most High.
15 Call on me in times of trouble.
I will rescue you, and you will honor me.”
16 But God says to wicked people,
“How dare you quote my decrees
and mouth my promises! [b]
17 You hate discipline.
You toss my words behind you.
18 When you see a thief, you want to make friends with him.
You keep company with people who commit adultery.
19 You let your mouth say anything evil.
Your tongue plans deceit.
20 You sit and talk against your own brother.
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 When you did these things, I remained silent.
⌞That⌟ made you think I was like you.
I will argue my point with you
and lay it all out for you to see.
22 Consider this, you people who forget God.
Otherwise, I will tear you to pieces,
and there will be no one left to rescue you.
23 Whoever offers thanks as a sacrifice honors me.
I will let everyone who continues in my way
see the salvation that comes from God.”
For the choir director; a psalm by David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David’s adultery with Bathsheba.
51 Have pity on me, O God, in keeping with your mercy.
In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my guilt,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 I admit that I am rebellious.
My sin is always in front of me.
4 I have sinned against you, especially you.
I have done what you consider evil.
So you hand down justice when you speak,
and you are blameless when you judge.
5 Indeed, I was born guilty.
I was a sinner when my mother conceived me.
6 Yet, you desire truth and sincerity.
Deep down inside me you teach me wisdom.
7 Purify me from sin with hyssop,[c] and I will be clean.[d]
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear ⌞sounds of⌟ joy and gladness.
Let the bones that you have broken dance.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and wipe out all that I have done wrong.
10 Create a clean heart in me, O God,
and renew a faithful spirit within me.
11 Do not force me away from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me,
and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.
13 ⌞Then⌟ I will teach your ways to those who are rebellious,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder,
O God, my savior.
Let my tongue sing joyfully about your righteousness!
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will tell about your praise.
16 You are not happy with any sacrifice.
Otherwise, I would offer one ⌞to you⌟.
You are not pleased with burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
O God, you do not despise a broken and sorrowful heart.
18 Favor Zion with your goodness.
Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Young bulls will be offered on your altar.
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
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
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