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.

For the music director. A psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. God, please be gracious to me, because of your trustworthy love, because of your infinite kindness please wipe away my sins.

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

Wash away all my guilt; cleanse me from my sin.

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

I admit my rebellion; my sin always stares me in my face.

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.

I have sinned against you, you alone. I have done evil in your sight. So you are right in what you say, and fair when you judge.

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

It's true that I was born guilty—sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

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

But you want truth on the inside; you teach me wisdom deep within.

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

Purify me with hyssop so I can be clean; wash me so I can be whiter than snow.

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

Please let me hear joy and happiness again; let the bones you have crushed be glad once more.

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

Turn your face away from looking at my sins; please wipe away my guilt.

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

Create a pure mind in me, God, and make me trustworthy again.

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

Don't expel me from your presence; don't take away your Holy Spirit from me.

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

Give me back the happiness of your salvation; help me to have a willing nature.

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

Then I will teach your ways to rebellious people, and these sinners will come back to you.

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

God, please forgive me for the blood I have shed, God of my salvation, and I will sing for joy of your goodness.

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

Open my lips so I can speak your praise!

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

For sacrifices don't make you happy, or I would bring one; burnt offerings aren't what pleases you.

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

The “sacrifices” that God wants are on the inside—the brokenness of repentance. God won't reject a broken and sorrowful heart.

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

Be kind to Zion, help the city; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

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

Then you will be pleased with sacrifices given in the right spirit, for all kinds of burnt offerings, and bulls sacrificed on your altar once more.