Psalm 51
God, be merciful to me because you are loving. Because you are always ready to be merciful, wipe out all my wrongs. Wash away all my guilt and make me clean again. I know about my wrongs. I can't forget my sin. You are the one I have sinned against. I have done what you say is wrong. So you are right when you speak. You are fair when you judge me. I was brought into this world in sin. In sin my mother gave brith to me. You want me to be completely truthful. So teach me wisdom. Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness. Let the boes you crushed be happy again. Turn your face from my sins. Wipe out all my guilt. Create in me a pure heart, God. Make my spirit right again. Do not send me away from you. Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me. Give me back the joy that comes when you save me. Keep me strong by giving me a willing spirit. Then I will teach your ways to those who do wrong. And sinners will turn back to you. God, save me from the guilt of murder. God, you are the one who saves me. I will sing about your goodness. Lord, let me speak so I may praise you. Tou are not pleased by sacrifices. Otherwise, I would give them. You don't want burnt offerings. The sacrifice God wants is a willing spirit. God, you will not reject a geart that is broken and sorry for its sin. Do whatever good you wish for Jerusalem. Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with right sacrifices and whole burnt offerings. And bulls will be offered on your altar.
Psalm 52
Mighty warrior, why do you brag about the evil you do? God's love will continue forever. You think up evil plans. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, making up lies. You love wrong more than right and lies more than truth. You love words that bite and tongues that lie. But God will ruin you forever. He will grab you and throw you out of your tent. He will tear you away from the land of the living. Those who do right will see this and fear God. They will laugh at you and say. Look what happened to the man who did not depend on God. Instead, he depended on his money. He grew strong but his evil plans. But I am like an olive tree growing in God's Temple. I trust God's love forever and ever. God, I will thank you forever for what you have done. With those who worship you, I will trust you because you are good.
Psalm 53
A wicked fool says to himself, "There is no God." Fools are evil. They do terrible things. None of them does anything good. God looked down from heaven at all the people. He looked to see if anyone was wise, if anyone was looking to God for help. But everyone has turned away. Together, everyone has become evil. None of them does anything good. Don't the wicked understand? They destroy my people as if they were eating bread. They have not asked God for help. The wicked became filled with terror where ther had been nothing to be terrified of. God will scatter the bones of your enemies. You will defeat them, because God has rejected them. I pray that victory will come to Israel from Mount Zion! May God give them back their riches. Then the people of Jacob will rejoice. And the people of Israel will be glad.
Psalm 54
God, save me because of who you are. By your strength show that I am innocent. Hear my prayer, God. Listen to what I say. Strangers turn against me. Cruel men want to kill me. They do not care about God. See, God will help me. The Lord will spare my life. Let my enemies be punished with their own evil. Destroy them because you are loyal to me. I will offer a sacrifice as a special gift to you. I will thank you, Lord, because you are good. You have saved me from all my troubles. I have seen my enemies defeated.
Psalm 55
God, listen to my prater. Do not ignore my prayer. Pay attention to me and answer me. I am troubled and upset by what the enemy sats and how the wicked look at me. They bring troubles down on me. In anger they attack me. I am frightened inside. The terror of death has attacked me. I am scared and shaking. Terror grips me. I said, "I wish I had wings like a dove. Then I would fly away and rest. I would wander far away. I would stay in the desert. I would hurry to my place of escape, far away from the wind and storm. Lord, destroy and confuse their words. I see violence and fighting in the city. Day and night they are all around its walls. Evil and trouble are everywhere inside. Destruction is everywhere in the city. Trouble and lying never leave its streets. It was not an enemy insulting me. I could stand that. It was not someone who hated me. I could hide from him. But it is you, a person like me. You were my companion and good friend. We had a good friendship. We went together to God's Temple. Let death take away my enemies. Let them die while they are still young because evil lives with them. But I will call to God for help. And the Lord will save me. Morning, noon and night I am troubled and upset. But he will listen to me. Many are against me. But he keeps me safe in battle. God who loves forever will hear me and punish them. But they will not change. They do not fear God. The one who was my friend attacks his friends. He breaks his promises. His words are slippery like butter. But war is in his heart. His words are smooter than oil, but they cut like knives. Give your worries to the Lord. He will take care of you. He will never let good people down. But, God, you will bring down the wicked to the grave. Murderers and liars will live only half a lifetime. But I will trust in you.
