Psalms 51
1 To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Be gracious unto me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness; according to the abundance of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
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 fully from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Let all my wrongdoing be washed away, and make me clean from evil.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is continually before me.
For I am conscious of my error; my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in thy sight; that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, be clear when thou judgest.
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 Behold, in iniquity was I brought forth, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Truly, I was formed in evil, and in sin did my mother give me birth.
6 Behold, thou wilt have truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden [part] thou wilt make me to know wisdom.
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 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me free from sin with hyssop: let me be washed whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear gladness and joy; [that] the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Make me full of joy and rapture; so that the bones which have been broken may be glad.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Let your face be turned from my wrongdoing, and take away all my sins.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Make a clean heart in me, O God; give me a right spirit again.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not the spirit of thy holiness from me.
Do not put me away from before you, or take your holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and let a willing spirit sustain me.
Give me back the joy of your salvation; let a free spirit be my support.
13 I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall return unto thee.
Then will I make your ways clear to wrongdoers; and sinners will be turned to you.
14 Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Be my saviour from violent death, O God, the God of my salvation; and my tongue will give praise to your righteousness.
15 Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare thy praise.
O Lord, let my lips be open, so that my mouth may make clear your praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering.
You have no desire for an offering or I would give it; you have no delight in burned offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
The offerings of God are a broken spirit; a broken and sorrowing heart, O God, you will not put from you.
18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure, building up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou have sacrifices of righteousness, burnt-offering, and whole burnt-offering; then shall they offer up bullocks upon thine 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.
