Psalms 51
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, 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. Cleanse me from my sin.
Let all my wrongdoing be washed away, and make me clean from evil.
3 For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me.
For I am conscious of my error; my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight, so you may be proved right when you speak, and justified 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 Behold, I was born in iniquity. My mother conceived me in sin.
Truly, I was formed in evil, and in sin did my mother give me birth.
6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
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 Let me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which 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 of my iniquities.
Let your face be turned from my wrongdoing, and take away all my sins.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.
Make a clean heart in me, O God; give me a right spirit again.
11 Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t 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. Uphold me with a willing spirit.
Give me back the joy of your salvation; let a free spirit be my support.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you.
Then will I make your ways clear to wrongdoers; and sinners will be turned to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue will sing aloud 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. My mouth will declare your praise.
O Lord, let my lips be open, so that my mouth may make clear your praise.
16 For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering.
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. O God, you will not despise a broken and 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 well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure, building up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings. Then they 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.
