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.

Unto the end. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba. Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin.

Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me.

For I know my iniquity, and 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 only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment.

5 Behold, I was born in iniquity. My mother conceived me in sin.

For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me.

7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which you have broken may rejoice.

In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult.

9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities.

Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.

Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being.

11 Do not throw me from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you.

I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted 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.

Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice.

15 Lord, open my lips. My mouth will declare your praise.

O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise.

16 For you do not delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering.

For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. O God, you will not despise a broken and contrite heart.

A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn.

18 Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.

Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

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 accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar.