Psalms 51
1 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.
To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Have pity on me, O God, in your mercy; out of a full heart, take away my sin.
2 Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Let all my wrongdoing be washed away, and make me clean from evil.
3 For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me.
For I am conscious of my error; my sin is ever before me.
4 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.
Against you, you only, have I done wrong, working that which is evil in your eyes; so that your words may be seen to be right, and you may be clear when you are judging.
5 For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me.
Truly, I was formed in evil, and in sin did my mother give me birth.
6 For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me.
Your desire is for what is true in the inner parts: in the secrets of my soul you will give me knowledge of wisdom.
7 You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow.
Make me free from sin with hyssop: let me be washed whiter than snow.
8 In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult.
Make me full of joy and rapture; so that the bones which have been broken may be glad.
9 Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities.
Let your face be turned from my wrongdoing, and take away all my sins.
10 Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being.
Make a clean heart in me, O God; give me a right spirit again.
11 Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Do not put me away from before you, or take your holy spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit.
Give me back the joy of your salvation; let a free spirit be my support.
13 I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you.
Then will I make your ways clear to wrongdoers; and sinners will be turned to you.
14 Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice.
Be my saviour from violent death, O God, the God of my salvation; and my tongue will give praise to your righteousness.
15 O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise.
O Lord, let my lips be open, so that my mouth may make clear your praise.
16 For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted.
You have no desire for an offering or I would give it; you have no delight in burned offerings.
17 A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn.
The offerings of God are a broken spirit; a broken and sorrowing heart, O God, you will not put from you.
18 Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure, building up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar.
Then you will have delight in the offerings of righteousness, in burned offerings and offerings of beasts; then they will make offerings of oxen on your altar.
