Psalms 51
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
“For the leader of the music. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after his intercourse with Bathsheba.” Be gracious unto me, O God! according to thy loving kindness; According to the greatness of thy mercy, blot out my transgressions!
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, that thou may be justified when thou speak, and may prevail when thou are criticized.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And in thy sight have I done evil; So that thou art just in thy sentence, And righteous in thy judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold! I was born in iniquity, And in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part thou will make me to know wisdom.
Behold! thou desirest truth in the heart; So teach me wisdom in my inmost soul!
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Purge me with hyssop, until I be clean; Wash me, until I be whiter than snow!
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou have broken may rejoice.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, So that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice!
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities!
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Create within me a clean heart, O God! Renew within me a steadfast spirit!
11 Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
Cast me not away from thy presence, And take not thy holy spirit from me!
12 Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Restore to me the joy of thy protection, And strengthen me with a willing spirit!
13 Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted to thee.
Then will I teach thy ways to transgressors, And sinners shall be converted to thee.
14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation. And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Deliver me from the guilt of blood, O God, the God of my salvation! That my tongue may sing aloud of thy goodness!
15 O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
O Lord! open thou my lips, That my mouth may show forth thy praise!
16 For thou delight not in sacrifice, else I would give it. Thou have no pleasure in burnt offering.
For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou will not despise.
The sacrifice which God loveth is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God! thou wilt not despise!
18 Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion. Build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Do good to Zion according to thy mercy; Build up the walls of Jerusalem!
19 Then thou will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offering and in whole burnt offering. Then they will offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Then shalt thou be pleased with sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt-offerings and complete offerings; Then shall bullocks be offered upon thine altar.
