Psalms 51
1 Unto the end, a psalm of David, When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bethsabee. Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.
“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 yet more 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 always before me.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me.
4 To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.
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 For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.
Behold! I was born in iniquity, And in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.
Behold! thou desirest truth in the heart; So teach me wisdom in my inmost soul!
7 Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
Purge me with hyssop, until I be clean; Wash me, until I be whiter than snow!
8 To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, So that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice!
9 Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities!
10 Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.
Create within me a clean heart, O God! Renew within me a steadfast spirit!
11 Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Cast me not away from thy presence, And take not thy holy spirit from me!
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.
Restore to me the joy of thy protection, And strengthen me with a willing spirit!
13 I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.
Then will I teach thy ways to transgressors, And sinners shall be converted to thee.
14 Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.
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, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.
O Lord! open thou my lips, That my mouth may show forth thy praise!
16 For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.
For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
17 A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
The sacrifice which God loveth is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God! thou wilt not despise!
18 Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.
Do good to Zion according to thy mercy; Build up the walls of Jerusalem!
19 Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.
Then shalt thou be pleased with sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt-offerings and complete offerings; Then shall bullocks be offered upon thine altar.
