Psalm 51
1 For the end, a Psalm of [1]instruction by David, 2 when Doec the Idumean came and told Saul, and said to him, David is gone to the house of Abimelech.
3 Why dost thou, O mighty man, boast of iniquity in thy mischief?
All the day 4 thy tongue hath devised unrighteousness;
like a sharpened razor thou hast wrought deceit.
5 Thou hast loved wickedness more than goodness;
unrighteousness better than to speak righteousness.
Pause.
6 Thou hast loved all words of destruction,
and a deceitful tongue.
7 Therefore may God destroy thee for ever,
may he pluck thee up and utterly remove thee from thy dwelling,
and thy root from the land of the living.
Pause.
8 And the righteous shall see, and fear,
and shall laugh at him, and say,
9 Behold the man who made not God his help;
but trusted in the abundance of his wealth,
and strengthened himself in his vanity.
10 But I am as a fruitful olive in the house of God:
I have trusted in the mercy of God
for ever, even for evermore.
11 I will give thanks to thee for ever, for thou hast done it:
and I will wait on thy name;
for it is good before thy saints.
Notes
- 51:1 instruction: Gr. understanding ↩