< Psalms 51 >
1 O God, be merciful to me, because you love me faithfully; because you are very merciful, erase [the record of] the ways that I disobeyed you!
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.
2 Make me pure from the wrong things that I have done; make me clean from [the guilt of] my sin.
Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 [I say that] because I know the ways that I have disobeyed you; I cannot forget them.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 You, you only, are the one that I have [really] sinned against, and you have seen the evil things that I have done. When you say that I am guilty, you are right/correct, and when you judge me, you justly say [that I deserve to be punished].
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
5 I have been a sinner since the day that I was born; [truly], I have been like that since my mother conceived me.
Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
6 What you desire is that I desire what is true in order that you [can] teach me how to act wisely.
Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Purify me from the guilt of my sins, and [after that happens], I will be clean [in my inner being]; cleanse me, and [then in my inner being] I will be (whiter than snow/very clean).
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Allow/Cause me to be joyful [DOU] again; you have (crushed my spirit/completely discouraged me) [MTY]; [but now] let me rejoice [again].
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9 Do not continue to look at the sins [IDM] that I have committed; erase the record of the evil things that I have done.
Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
10 O God, cause my inner being to be pure. Put new [thoughts] within me and make me faithful again.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Do not send me away from you [because of my sin], and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Cause/Allow me to be happy again because of [knowing] that you have freed me [from the guilt of my sin], and make me willing [to obey you].
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 If you do that, I will [be able to] teach [other] sinners what you want them to do, and they will repent and begin to obey you.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.
14 O God, you are the one who saves me; forgive me for being guilty of causing someone [who was not my enemy] to die. [When you do that], I will sing joyfully about your being very good and righteous.
Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
15 O Yahweh, help me to speak [in order that] I may praise you.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16 You are not pleased [only] with the sacrifices [that people bring to you]. If that were [enough to] please you, I would bring you sacrifices. You are not pleased with burnt offerings [alone].
For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifice that you [really] want is for people to be truly humble and sorry [for having sinned]; O God, you will not refuse that kind of sacrifice.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18 [O God], be good to [the people who live in] Jerusalem [MTY], [and help them] to rebuild the city walls.
In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 When that happens, [they will bring you] the proper sacrifices, animals that they will completely burn, young bulls that they will burn on your altar, and you will be pleased.
Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.