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.
For the chief musician. A psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had slept with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, God, because of your covenant faithfulness; for the sake of the multitude of your merciful actions, blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me once again from 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 iniquity, and my sin is ever before me.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always 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, I have sinned and done what is evil in your sight; you are right when you speak; you are correct when you judge.
5 For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me.
See, I was born in iniquity; as soon as my mother conceived me, I was in sin.
6 For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me.
See, you desire trustworthiness in my inner self; and you teach me wisdom in the secret place within.
7 You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow.
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult.
Make me hear joy and gladness so that the bones that you have broken may rejoice.
9 Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being.
Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Do not drive me away from your presence, and do not take your holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you.
Then will I teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will be converted to you.
14 Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice.
Forgive me for shedding blood, God of my salvation, and I will shout for the joy of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise.
Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will express your praise.
16 For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted.
For you do not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you have no pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. You, God, will not despise a broken and a contrite heart.
18 Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.
Do good in your good pleasure to Zion; rebuild 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 will you delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then our people will offer bulls on your altar.
