Psalms 51

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy 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 throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

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

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me.

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, [and] be clear when thou judgest.

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 shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

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

6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden [part] thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

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

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall 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 Make me to hear joy and gladness; [that] the bones [which] thou hast broken may rejoice.

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

9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

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

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

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

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

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

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me [with thy] free spirit.

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

13 [Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

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

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: [and] my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

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

15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

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

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give [it: ] thou delightest not 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: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

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

18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou 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 shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

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