Psalm 51

David condemns the wickedness of Doeg, and foretells his destruction.

Does this psalm differ from what you were expecting? Don't be confused. There are two systems for arranging the psalms: the Septuagint and the Masoretic. We use the Septuagint system here. In the Masoretic system, which is used in most modern Bible translations, this psalm is called Psalm 52, and the previous psalm is known as Psalm 51.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 Unto the end, understanding for David, 2 When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul: David went to the house of Achimelech.

3 Why dost thou glory in malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity?
4 All the day long thy tongue hath devised injustice: as a sharp razor, thou hast wrought deceit.
5 Thou hast loved malice more than goodness: and iniquity rather than to speak righteousness.
6 Thou hast loved all the words of ruin, O deceitful tongue.
7 Therefore will God destroy thee for ever: he will pluck thee out, and remove thee from thy dwelling place: and thy root out of the land of the living.
8 The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say:
9 Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity.
10 But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea for ever and ever.
11 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good in the sight of thy saints.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 In finem. Intellectus David, 2 cum venit Doëg Idumæus, et nuntiavit Sauli: Venit David in domum Achimelech.

3 Quid gloriaris in malitia,
qui potens es in iniquitate?
4 Tota die injustitiam cogitavit lingua tua;
sicut novacula acuta fecisti dolum.
5 Dilexisti malitiam super benignitatem;
iniquitatem magis quam loqui æquitatem.
6 Dilexisti omnia verba præcipitationis;
lingua dolosa.
7 Propterea Deus destruet te in finem;
evellet te, et emigrabit te de tabernaculo tuo,
et radicem tuam de terra viventium.
8 Videbunt justi, et timebunt;
et super eum ridebunt, et dicent:
9 Ecce homo qui non posuit Deum adjutorem suum;
sed speravit in multitudine divitiarum suarum,
et prævaluit in vanitate sua.
10 Ego autem, sicut oliva fructifera in domo Dei;
speravi in misericordia Dei, in æternum et in sæculum sæculi.
11 Confitebor tibi in sæculum, quia fecisti;
et exspectabo nomen tuum,
quoniam bonum est in conspectu sanctorum tuorum.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition