For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.
49:1 Listen to this, all you nations!
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world!
49:2 Pay attention, all you people,
both rich and poor!
49:3 I will declare a wise saying;
I will share my profound thoughts.
49:4 I will learn a song that imparts wisdom;
I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp.
49:5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me?
49:6 They trust in their wealth
and boast in their great riches.
49:7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother;
he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price
49:8 (the ransom price for a human life is too high,
and people go to their final destiny),
49:9 so that he might continue to live forever
and not experience death.
49:10 Surely one sees that even wise people die;
fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away
and leave their wealth to others.
49:11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence,
their eternal dwelling place.
They name their lands after themselves,
49:12 but, despite their wealth, people do not last,
they are like animals that perish.
49:13 This is the destiny of fools,
and of those who approve of their philosophy. (Selah)
49:14 They will travel to Sheol like sheep,
with death as their shepherd.
The godly will rule over them when the day of vindication dawns;
Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses.
49:15 But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol;
certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah)
49:16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich
and his wealth multiplies!
49:17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies;
his wealth will not follow him down into the grave.
49:18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive:
“May men praise you, for you have done well!”
49:19 But he will join his ancestors;
they will never again see the light of day.
49:20 Wealthy people do not understand;
they are like animals that perish.
A psalm by Asaph.
50:1 El, God, the Lord speaks,
and summons the earth to come from the east and west.
50:2 From Zion, the most beautiful of all places,
God comes in splendor.
50:3 Our God approaches and is not silent;
consuming fire goes ahead of him
and all around him a storm rages.
50:4 He summons the heavens above,
as well as the earth, so that he might judge his people.
50:5 He says:
“Assemble my covenant people before me,
those who ratified a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
50:6 The heavens declare his fairness,
for God is judge. (Selah)
50:7 He says:
“Listen my people! I am speaking!
Listen Israel! I am accusing you!
I am God, your God!
50:8 I am not condemning you because of your sacrifices,
or because of your burnt sacrifices that you continually offer me.
50:9 I do not need to take a bull from your household
or goats from your sheepfolds.
50:10 For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me,
as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills.
50:11 I keep track of every bird in the hills,
and the insects of the field are mine.
50:12 Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and all it contains belong to me.
50:13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
50:14 Present to God a thank-offering!
Repay your vows to the sovereign One!
50:15 Pray to me when you are in trouble!
I will deliver you, and you will honor me!”
50:16 God says this to the evildoer:
“How can you declare my commands,
and talk about my covenant?
50:17 For you hate instruction
and reject my words.
50:18 When you see a thief, you join him;
you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives.
50:19 You do damage with words,
and use your tongue to deceive.
50:20 You plot against your brother;
you slander your own brother.
50:21 When you did these things, I was silent,
so you thought I was exactly like you.
But now I will condemn you
and state my case against you!
50:22 Carefully consider this, you who reject God!
Otherwise I will rip you to shreds
and no one will be able to rescue you.
50:23 Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me.
To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.”
For the music director; a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.
51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love!
Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!
51:2 Wash away my wrongdoing!
Cleanse me of my sin!
51:3 For I am aware of my rebellious acts;
I am forever conscious of my sin.
51:4 Against you – you above all – I have sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
So you are just when you confront me;
you are right when you condemn me.
51:5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth,
a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.
51:6 Look, you desire integrity in the inner man;
you want me to possess wisdom.
51:7 Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure;
wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
51:8 Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven!
May the bones you crushed rejoice!
51:9 Hide your face from my sins!
Wipe away all my guilt!
51:10 Create for me a pure heart, O God!
Renew a resolute spirit within me!
51:11 Do not reject me!
Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!
51:12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!
Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey!
51:13 Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways,
and sinners will turn to you.
51:14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me!
Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance.
51:15 O Lord, give me the words!
Then my mouth will praise you.
51:16 Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it;
you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.
51:17 The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit –
O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.
51:18 Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her!
Fortify the walls of Jerusalem!
51:19 Then you will accept the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings;
then bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.