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 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 clean of 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 always before me.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, 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 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 Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
Behold! I was born in iniquity, And in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Behold! thou desirest truth in the heart; So teach me wisdom in my inmost soul!
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Purge me with hyssop, until I be clean; Wash me, until I be whiter than snow!
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, So that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice!
9 Hide Your 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 Your presence; take not Your 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 Your salvation, and sustain 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 Your ways, and sinners will return to You.
Then will I teach thy ways to transgressors, And sinners shall be converted to thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your 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 my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
O Lord! open thou my lips, That my mouth may show forth thy praise!
16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.
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 a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
The sacrifice which God loveth is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God! thou wilt not despise!
18 In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Do good to Zion according to thy mercy; Build up 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 shalt thou be pleased with sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt-offerings and complete offerings; Then shall bullocks be offered upon thine altar.
