Psalms 51
1 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.
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 thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Let all my wrongdoing be washed away, and make me clean from evil.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
For I am conscious of my error; my sin is ever before me.
4 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.
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 See, I was born in iniquity; as soon as my mother conceived me, I was in sin.
Truly, I was formed in evil, and in sin did my mother give me birth.
6 See, you desire trustworthiness in my inner self; and you teach me wisdom in the secret place within.
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 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Make me free from sin with hyssop: let me be washed whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness so that the bones that you have broken may rejoice.
Make me full of joy and rapture; so that the bones which have been broken may be glad.
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Let your face be turned from my wrongdoing, and take away all my sins.
10 Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Make a clean heart in me, O God; give me a right spirit again.
11 Do not drive me away from your presence, and do not take your holy Spirit from me.
Do not put me away from before you, or take your holy spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.
Give me back the joy of your salvation; let a free spirit be my support.
13 Then will I teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will be converted to you.
Then will I make your ways clear to wrongdoers; and sinners will be turned to you.
14 Forgive me for shedding blood, God of my salvation, and I will shout for the joy of your 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 will express your praise.
O Lord, let my lips be open, so that my mouth may make clear your praise.
16 For you do not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you have no pleasure in burnt offerings.
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. You, God, will not despise a broken and a contrite heart.
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 your good pleasure to Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure, building up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 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.
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.
