תְהִלִּים 51

1 לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמֹ֥ור לְדָוִֽד׃ בְּֽבֹוא־אֵ֭לָיו נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֑יא כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֝֗א אֶל־בַּת־שָֽׁבַע׃ חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱלֹהִ֣ים כְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ כְּרֹ֥ב רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ מְחֵ֣ה פְשָׁעָֽי׃

For the music director. A psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. God, please be gracious to me, because of your trustworthy love, because of your infinite kindness please wipe away my sins.

2 הַרְבֵּה (הֶ֭רֶב) כַּבְּסֵ֣נִי מֵעֲוֹנִ֑י וּֽמֵחַטָּאתִ֥י טַהֲרֵֽנִי׃

Wash away all my guilt; cleanse me from my sin.

3 כִּֽי־פְ֭שָׁעַי אֲנִ֣י אֵדָ֑ע וְחַטָּאתִ֖י נֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃

I admit my rebellion; my sin always stares me in my face.

4 לְךָ֤ לְבַדְּךָ֨ ׀ חָטָאתִי֮ וְהָרַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ עָ֫שִׂ֥יתִי לְ֭מַעַן תִּצְדַּ֥ק בְּדָבְרֶ֗ךָ תִּזְכֶּ֥ה בְשָׁפְטֶֽךָ׃

I have sinned against you, you alone. I have done evil in your sight. So you are right in what you say, and fair when you judge.

5 הֵן־בְּעָוֹ֥ון חֹולָ֑לְתִּי וּ֝בְחֵ֗טְא יֶֽחֱמַ֥תְנִי אִמִּֽי׃

It's true that I was born guilty—sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6 הֵן־אֱ֭מֶת חָפַ֣צְתָּ בַטֻּחֹ֑ות וּ֝בְסָתֻ֗ם חָכְמָ֥ה תֹודִיעֵֽנִי׃

But you want truth on the inside; you teach me wisdom deep within.

7 תְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִי בְאֵזֹ֣וב וְאֶטְהָ֑ר תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִי וּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶג אַלְבִּֽין׃

Purify me with hyssop so I can be clean; wash me so I can be whiter than snow.

8 תַּ֭שְׁמִיעֵנִי שָׂשֹׂ֣ון וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה תָּ֝גֵ֗לְנָה עֲצָמֹ֥ות דִּכִּֽיתָ׃

Please let me hear joy and happiness again; let the bones you have crushed be glad once more.

9 הַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נֶיךָ מֵחֲטָאָ֑י וְֽכָל־עֲוֹ֖נֹתַ֣י מְחֵֽה׃

Turn your face away from looking at my sins; please wipe away my guilt.

10 לֵ֣ב טָ֭הֹור בְּרָא־לִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְר֥וּחַ נָ֝כֹ֗ון חַדֵּ֥שׁ בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃

Create a pure mind in me, God, and make me trustworthy again.

11 אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי מִלְּפָנֶ֑יךָ וְר֥וּחַ קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ אַל־תִּקַּ֥ח מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

Don't expel me from your presence; don't take away your Holy Spirit from me.

12 הָשִׁ֣יבָה לִּ֭י שְׂשֹׂ֣ון יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וְר֖וּחַ נְדִיבָ֣ה תִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃

Give me back the happiness of your salvation; help me to have a willing nature.

13 אֲלַמְּדָ֣ה פֹשְׁעִ֣ים דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים אֵלֶ֥יךָ יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃

Then I will teach your ways to rebellious people, and these sinners will come back to you.

14 הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִדָּמִ֨ים ׀ אֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י תְּשׁוּעָתִ֑י תְּרַנֵּ֥ן לְשֹׁונִ֗י צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃

God, please forgive me for the blood I have shed, God of my salvation, and I will sing for joy of your goodness.

15 אֲ֭דֹנָי שְׂפָתַ֣י תִּפְתָּ֑ח וּ֝פִ֗י יַגִּ֥יד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃

Open my lips so I can speak your praise!

16 כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַחְפֹּ֣ץ זֶ֣בַח וְאֶתֵּ֑נָה עֹ֝ולָ֗ה לֹ֣א תִרְצֶֽה׃

For sacrifices don't make you happy, or I would bring one; burnt offerings aren't what pleases you.

17 זִֽבְחֵ֣י אֱלֹהִים֮ ר֪וּחַ נִשְׁבָּ֫רָ֥ה לֵב־נִשְׁבָּ֥ר וְנִדְכֶּ֑ה אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לֹ֣א תִבְזֶֽה׃

The “sacrifices” that God wants are on the inside—the brokenness of repentance. God won't reject a broken and sorrowful heart.

18 הֵיטִ֣יבָה בִ֭רְצֹונְךָ אֶת־צִיֹּ֑ון תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה חֹומֹ֥ות יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

Be kind to Zion, help the city; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

19 אָ֤ז תַּחְפֹּ֣ץ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֭דֶק עֹולָ֣ה וְכָלִ֑יל אָ֤ז יַעֲל֖וּ עַל־מִזְבַּחֲךָ֣ פָרִֽים׃

Then you will be pleased with sacrifices given in the right spirit, for all kinds of burnt offerings, and bulls sacrificed on your altar once more.