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.

To the Overseer. — A Psalm of David, in the coming in unto him of Nathan the prophet, when he hath gone in unto Bath-Sheba. Favour me, O God, according to Thy kindness, According to the abundance of Thy mercies, Blot out my transgressions.

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

Thoroughly wash me from mine iniquity, And from my sin cleanse me,

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

For my transgressions I do know, And my sin [is] before me continually.

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, I have sinned, And done the evil thing in Thine eyes, So that Thou art righteous in Thy words, Thou art pure in Thy judging.

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

Lo, in iniquity I have been brought forth, And in sin doth my mother conceive me.

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

Lo, truth Thou hast desired in the inward parts, And in the hidden part Wisdom Thou causest me to know.

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

Thou cleansest me with hyssop and I am clean, Washest me, and than snow I am whiter.

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

Thou causest me to hear joy and gladness, Thou makest joyful bones Thou hast bruised.

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

Hide Thy face from my sin. And all mine iniquities blot out.

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

A clean heart prepare for me, O God, And a right spirit renew within me.

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

Cast me not forth from Thy presence, And Thy Holy Spirit take not 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 salvation, And a willing spirit doth sustain me.

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

I teach transgressors Thy ways, And sinners unto Thee do return.

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

Deliver me from blood, O God, God of my salvation, My tongue singeth of Thy righteousness.

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

O Lord, my lips thou dost open, And my mouth declareth 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, or I give [it], Burnt-offering Thou acceptest not.

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

The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit, A heart broken and bruised, O God, Thou dost not despise.

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

Do good in Thy good pleasure with Zion, Thou dost build 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 Thou desirest sacrifices of righteousness, Burnt-offering, and whole burnt-offering, Then they offer bullocks on thine altar!