Psalms 51

1 O God, be merciful to me, because you love me faithfully; because you are very merciful, erase [the record of] the ways that I disobeyed you!

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 Make me pure from the wrong things that I have done; make me clean from [the guilt of] my sin.

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

3 [I say that] because I know the ways that I have disobeyed you; I cannot forget them.

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

4 You, you only, are the one that I have [really] sinned against, and you have seen the evil things that I have done. When you say that I am guilty, you are right/correct, and when you judge me, you justly say [that I deserve to be punished].

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 I have been a sinner since the day that I was born; [truly], I have been like that since my mother conceived me.

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

6 What you desire is that I desire what is true in order that you [can] teach me how to act wisely.

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

7 Purify me from the guilt of my sins, and [after that happens], I will be clean [in my inner being]; cleanse me, and [then in my inner being] I will be (whiter than snow/very clean).

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

8 Allow/Cause me to be joyful [DOU] again; you have (crushed my spirit/completely discouraged me) [MTY]; [but now] let me rejoice [again].

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

9 Do not continue to look at the sins [IDM] that I have committed; erase the record of the evil things that I have done.

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

10 O God, cause my inner being to be pure. Put new [thoughts] within me and make me faithful again.

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

11 Do not send me away from you [because of my sin], and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

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

12 Cause/Allow me to be happy again because of [knowing] that you have freed me [from the guilt of my sin], and make me willing [to obey you].

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

13 If you do that, I will [be able to] teach [other] sinners what you want them to do, and they will repent and begin to obey you.

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

14 O God, you are the one who saves me; forgive me for being guilty of causing someone [who was not my enemy] to die. [When you do that], I will sing joyfully about your being very good and righteous.

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

15 O Yahweh, help me to speak [in order that] I may praise you.

Open my lips so I can speak your praise!

16 You are not pleased [only] with the sacrifices [that people bring to you]. If that were [enough to] please you, I would bring you sacrifices. You are not pleased with burnt offerings [alone].

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

17 The sacrifice that you [really] want is for people to be truly humble and sorry [for having sinned]; O God, you will not refuse that kind of sacrifice.

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

18 [O God], be good to [the people who live in] Jerusalem [MTY], [and help them] to rebuild the city walls.

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

19 When that happens, [they will bring you] the proper sacrifices, animals that they will completely burn, young bulls that they will burn on your altar, and you will be pleased.

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.