51 ¹ I will give thanks to you, O Lord and King,
and will praise you as God my Saviour.
I give thanks to your name,
51 ² for you have been my protector and helper
and have delivered my body from destruction
and from the snare of a slanderous tongue,
from lips that utter lies.
Before those who stood by
you were my helper, 51 ³ and delivered me,
in the greatness of your mercy and of your name,
from the gnashings of teeth about to devour me,
from the hand of those who sought my life,
from the many afflictions that I endured,
51 ⁴ from choking fire on every side
and from the midst of fire which I did not kindle,
51 ⁵ from the depths of the belly of Hades,
from an unclean tongue and lying words -
51 ⁶ the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king.
My soul drew near to death,
and my life was very near to Hades beneath.
51 ⁷ They surrounded me on every side, and there was no one to help me;
I looked for the assistance of men, and there was none.
51 ⁸ Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord,
and your work from of old,
that you deliver those who wait for you
and save them from the hand of their enemies.
51 ⁹ And I sent up my supplication from the earth,
and prayed for deliverance from death.
51 ¹⁰ I appealed to the Lord, the Father of my lord,
not to forsake me in the days of affliction,
at the time when there is no help against the proud.
51 ¹¹ I will praise your name continually,
and will sing praise with thanksgiving.
My prayer was heard,
51 ¹² for you saved me from destruction
and rescued me from an evil plight.
Therefore I will give thanks to you and praise you,
and I will bless the name of the Lord.