Psalms 51

1 To the Overseer. — A Psalm of David, in the coming in unto him of Nathan the prophet, when he hath gone in unto Bath-Sheba. Favour me, O God, according to Thy kindness, According to the abundance of Thy mercies, Blot out my transgressions.

To victorie, the salm of Dauid; `whanne Nathan the prophete cam to hym, whanne he entride to Bersabee. God, haue thou merci on me; bi thi greet merci. And bi the mychilnesse of thi merciful doyngis; do thou awei my wickidnesse.

2 Thoroughly wash me from mine iniquity, And from my sin cleanse me,

More waische thou me fro my wickidnesse; and clense thou me fro my synne.

3 For my transgressions I do know, And my sin [is] before me continually.

For Y knouleche my wickidnesse; and my synne is euere ayens me.

4 Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, And done the evil thing in Thine eyes, So that Thou art righteous in Thy words, Thou art pure in Thy judging.

I haue synned to thee aloone, and Y haue do yuel bifor thee; that thou be iustified in thi wordis, and ouercome whanne thou art demed. For lo!

5 Lo, in iniquity I have been brought forth, And in sin doth my mother conceive me.

Y was conseyued in wickednessis; and my modir conceyuede me in synnes.

6 Lo, truth Thou hast desired in the inward parts, And in the hidden part Wisdom Thou causest me to know.

For lo! thou louedist treuthe; thou hast schewid to me the vncerteyn thingis, and pryuy thingis of thi wisdom.

7 Thou cleansest me with hyssop and I am clean, Washest me, and than snow I am whiter.

Lord, sprenge thou me with ysope, and Y schal be clensid; waische thou me, and Y schal be maad whijt more than snow.

8 Thou causest me to hear joy and gladness, Thou makest joyful bones Thou hast bruised.

Yyue thou ioie, and gladnesse to myn heryng; and boonys maad meke schulen ful out make ioye.

9 Hide Thy face from my sin. And all mine iniquities blot out.

Turne awei thi face fro my synnes; and do awei alle my wickidnesses.

10 A clean heart prepare for me, O God, And a right spirit renew within me.

God, make thou a clene herte in me; and make thou newe a riytful spirit in my entrailis.

11 Cast me not forth from Thy presence, And Thy Holy Spirit take not from me.

Caste thou me not awei fro thi face; and take thou not awei fro me thin hooli spirit.

12 Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And a willing spirit doth sustain me.

Yiue thou to me the gladnesse of thyn helthe; and conferme thou me with the principal spirit.

13 I teach transgressors Thy ways, And sinners unto Thee do return.

I schal teche wickid men thi weies; and vnfeithful men schulen be conuertid to thee.

14 Deliver me from blood, O God, God of my salvation, My tongue singeth of Thy righteousness.

God, the God of myn helthe, delyuere thou me fro bloodis; and my tunge schal ioyfuli synge thi riytfulnesse.

15 O Lord, my lips thou dost open, And my mouth declareth Thy praise.

Lord, `opene thou my lippis; and my mouth schal telle thi preysyng.

16 For Thou desirest not sacrifice, or I give [it], Burnt-offering Thou acceptest not.

For if thou haddist wold sacrifice, Y hadde youe; treuli thou schalt not delite in brent sacrifices.

17 The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit, A heart broken and bruised, O God, Thou dost not despise.

A sacrifice to God is a spirit troblid; God, thou schalt not dispise a contrit herte and `maad meke.

18 Do good in Thy good pleasure with Zion, Thou dost build the walls of Jerusalem.

Lord, do thou benygneli in thi good wille to Syon; that the wallis of Jerusalem be bildid.

19 Then Thou desirest sacrifices of righteousness, Burnt-offering, and whole burnt-offering, Then they offer bullocks on thine altar!

Thanne thou schalt take plesauntli the sacrifice of riytfulnesse, offryngis, and brent sacrifices; thanne thei schulen putte calues on thin auter.