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.
“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 thoroughly 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 transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, And 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 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 See, I was born in iniquity; as soon as my mother conceived me, I was in sin.
Behold! I was born in iniquity, And in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 See, you desire trustworthiness in my inner self; and you teach me wisdom in the secret place within.
Behold! thou desirest truth in the heart; So teach me wisdom in my inmost soul!
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Purge me with hyssop, until I be clean; Wash me, until I be whiter than snow!
8 Make me hear joy and gladness so that the bones that you have broken may rejoice.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, So that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice!
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities!
10 Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Create within me a clean heart, O God! Renew within me a steadfast spirit!
11 Do not drive me away from your presence, and do not take your holy Spirit from me.
Cast me not away from thy presence, And take not thy holy spirit from me!
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.
Restore to me the joy of thy protection, And strengthen me with a willing spirit!
13 Then will I teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will be converted to you.
Then will I teach thy ways to transgressors, And sinners shall be converted to thee.
14 Forgive me for shedding blood, God of my salvation, and I will shout for the joy of your righteousness.
Deliver me from the guilt of blood, O God, the God of my salvation! That my tongue may sing aloud of thy goodness!
15 Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will express your praise.
O Lord! open thou my lips, That my mouth may show forth thy praise!
16 For you do not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you have no pleasure in burnt offerings.
For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. You, God, will not despise a broken and a contrite heart.
The sacrifice which God loveth is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God! thou wilt not despise!
18 Do good in your good pleasure to Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Do good to Zion according to thy mercy; Build 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 shalt thou be pleased with sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt-offerings and complete offerings; Then shall bullocks be offered upon thine altar.
