PSALMS 49-53 [43.156 and 42.718, Center Fragment]

Psalm 49:5-16 COLUMN 1

49:5 {Heb 49:6} Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,

6 {Heb 49:7} Even those who trust in their wealth, And boast in the abundance of their riches?

7 {Heb 49:8} No man can by any means redeem his brother, Or give to God a ransom for him--

8 {Heb 49:9} For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever--

9 {Heb 49:10} That he should live on eternally; That he should not undergo decay.

10 {Heb 49:11} For he sees that even wise men die; The stupid and the senseless alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.

11 {Heb 49:12} Their inner thought is, that their houses are forever, And their dwelling places to all generations; They have called their lands after their own names.

12 {Heb 49:13} But man in his pomp will not endure understand; He is like the beasts that perish.

13 {Heb 49:14} This is the way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who approve their words. Selah.

14 {Heb 49:15} As sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall rule over them in the morning; And their form shall be for Sheol to consume, So that they have no habitation.

15 {Heb 49:16} But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For He will receive me. Selah.

16 {Heb 49:17 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;

17 {Heb 49:18} For when he dies he will carry nothing away; His glory will not descend after him.

18 {Heb 49:19} Though while he lives he congratulates himself-- And though men praise you when you do well for yourself--

19 {Heb 49:20} He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see the light.

Psalm 50:15-51:3 COLUMN 2

50:14 "Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High;

15 And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me."

16 But to the wicked God says, "What right have you to tell of My statutes, And to take My covenant in your mouth?

17 "For you hate discipline, And you cast My words behind you.

18 "When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, And you associate with adulterers.

19 "You let your mouth loose in evil, And your tongue frames deceit.

20 "You sit and speak against your brother; ..... You slander your own mother's son.

21 "These things you have done, and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you, and state the case in order before your eyes.

22 "Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

23 "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God."

51:1 (For the choir director. A Psalm of David, {Heb 51:2} when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.) {Heb 51:3} Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions.

2 {Heb 51:4} Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

3 {Heb 51:5} For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me.

Psalm 52:4-53:1 COLUMN 3

52:4 {Heb 52:6} You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.

5 {Heb 52:7} But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up, and tear you away from your tent, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.

6 {Heb 52:8} And the righteous will see and fear, ...... And will laugh at him, saying,

7 {Heb 52:9} "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted ........ in the abundance of his riches, And was strong in his evil desire."

8 {Heb 52:10} But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God ...... forever and ever.

9 {Heb 52:11} I will give Thee thanks forever, because Thou hast done it, And I will wait on Thy name, for it is good, in the presence of Thy godly ones.

53:1 (For the choir director; according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.) {Heb 53:2} The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God," They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good.


Key to the English Text Reconstructions

SIMILARITIES: Regular = MT yes, DSS yes; Italics = MT yes, DSS probable; Small Type = MT yes, DSS hole

DIFFERENCES: Italics/Bold (Blue) = MT yes, DSS no; Underline/Bold (Red) = DSS yes, MT no; Underline (Purple) = DSS probable, MT no

OTHER: .... = blank space, apparently with no writing; $ = present in NASB, but missing in MT; % = correction of NASB to make it reflect MT; Phrase in {brackets} = explanation.

ABBREVIATIONS: MT = Masoretic Text (1,000 years old); DSS = Dead Sea Scrolls (2,000 years old); NASB = New American Standard Bible, a literal English Bible translation