Psalms 51
1 For the music director. A psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. God, please be gracious to me, because of your trustworthy love, because of your infinite kindness please wipe away my sins.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my guilt; cleanse me from my sin.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 I admit my rebellion; my sin always stares me in my face.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4 I have sinned against you, you alone. I have done evil in your sight. So you are right in what you say, and fair when you judge.
Against thee, thee only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, that thou may be justified when thou speak, and may prevail when thou are criticized.
5 It's true that I was born guilty—sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.
6 But you want truth on the inside; you teach me wisdom deep within.
Behold, thou desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part thou will make me to know wisdom.
7 Purify me with hyssop so I can be clean; wash me so I can be whiter than snow.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Please let me hear joy and happiness again; let the bones you have crushed be glad once more.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou have broken may rejoice.
9 Turn your face away from looking at my sins; please wipe away my guilt.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create a pure mind in me, God, and make me trustworthy again.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Don't expel me from your presence; don't take away your Holy Spirit from me.
Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
12 Give me back the happiness of your salvation; help me to have a willing nature.
Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach your ways to rebellious people, and these sinners will come back to you.
Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted to thee.
14 God, please forgive me for the blood I have shed, God of my salvation, and I will sing for joy of your goodness.
Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation. And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 Open my lips so I can speak your praise!
O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
16 For sacrifices don't make you happy, or I would bring one; burnt offerings aren't what pleases you.
For thou delight not in sacrifice, else I would give it. Thou have no pleasure in burnt offering.
17 The “sacrifices” that God wants are on the inside—the brokenness of repentance. God won't reject a broken and sorrowful heart.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou will not despise.
18 Be kind to Zion, help the city; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion. Build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices given in the right spirit, for all kinds of burnt offerings, and bulls sacrificed on your altar once more.
Then thou will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offering and in whole burnt offering. Then they will offer bullocks upon thine altar.
