1 ¶ Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your loving-kindness: blot out my transgressions according to the multitude of your tender mercies.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight: so you are right when you pass sentence, and blameless when you judge.

5 Behold, I was formed in iniquity; and sinful when my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, you desire truth in my heart: and in my inner self you will teach me wisdom.

7 ¶ Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean: wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Cause me to hear singing and joy; then the limbs that you have crushed will rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my guilt.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Do not banish me from your presence; or take your holy spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors your ways; and sinners will return to you.

14 ¶ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips; and my mouth will pour out praise to you.

16 For you do not desire sacrifice; otherwise I would give it: you do not delight in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: and God will not despise a heart that is humbled and sorry for sin.

18 By your kindness do good to Zion: build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings: then they will offer young bulls upon your altar.

Psalm 52

1 ¶ Why do you boast about behaving wickedly, O mighty man? the goodness of God is constant.

2 Your tongue devises wickedness; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

3 You love evil more than good; and lying more than saying what is right. Selah.

4 You love every kind of destructive speech, O you deceitful tongue.

5 God will likewise destroy you forever, he will take you, plucking you out of your tent, and rooting you out of the land of the living. Selah.

6 ¶ The righteous will see it, and fear, and will laugh at him:

7 Look, this is the man who did not make God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

9 I will praise you forever, for what you have done: and in the presence of your saints I will wait on your name; for it is good.

Psalm 53

To the chief Musician a mournful song, Maschil, A Psalm of David.

1 ¶ The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, and they do detestable things: there are none who do good.

2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any who understood, and were seeking God.

3 They have all turned away: together they have all become filthy; there is no one who does good, no, not one.

4 Don’t the workers of iniquity know anything? those who devour my people as they devour food: they have not called upon God.

5 They will be filled with terror and dread, where there was no terror: for God will scatter the bones of those who encamp against you: you will put them to shame, because God despises them.

6 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When God restores his captive people, Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be glad.