Psalms 51

1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.

Unto the end. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba. Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity.

2 Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.

Against you only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment.

5 Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me.

6 Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me.

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

You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.

In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult.

9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.

Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities.

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

Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being.

11 Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.

I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you.

14 Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.

Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice.

15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.

O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise.

16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.

For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn.

18 In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar.