Psalm 51:1-19
To the director. A melody of David, when Nathan the prophet came in to him after David had relations with Bath-sheʹba.+
51 Show me favor, O God, according to your loyal love.+
Blot out my transgressions according to your great mercy.+
2 Thoroughly wash me from my error,+And cleanse me from my sin.+
3 For I am well-aware of my transgressions,And my sin is always before me.*+
4 Against you—you above all*—I have sinned;+What is bad in your eyes I have done.+
Therefore, you are righteous when you speak,You are right in your judgment.+
5 Look! I was born guilty of error,And my mother conceived me in sin.*+
6 Look! You find pleasure in truth in the inner person;+Teach my innermost self* true wisdom.
7 Purify me from my sin with hyssop, so that I will be clean;+Wash me, so that I will be whiter than snow.+
8 Let me hear sounds of joy and rejoicing,So that the bones you crushed will rejoice.+
9 Turn your face away* from my sins,+And wipe away* all my errors.+
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,+And put within me a new spirit,+ a steadfast one.
11 Do not cast me out from your presence;And do not take your holy spirit away from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation;+Stir within me a willingness to obey you.*
13 I will teach transgressors your ways,+So that sinners will return to you.
14 Save me from bloodguilt,+ O God, the God of my salvation,+So that my tongue may joyfully declare your righteousness.+
15 O Jehovah, open my lips,So that my mouth may declare your praise.+
16 For you do not want a sacrifice—otherwise I would give it;+You do not find delight in a whole burnt offering.+
17 The sacrifices pleasing to God are a broken spirit;A heart broken and crushed, O God, you will not reject.*+
18 In your goodwill do what is good for Zion;Build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will take delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,The burnt sacrifices and the whole offerings;Then bulls will be offered up on your altar.+
Footnotes
^ Or “on my mind.”
^ Lit., “only you.”
^ Or “And sinful from the moment my mother conceived me.”
^ Or “my secret self.”
^ Or “Hide your face.”
^ Or “blot out.”
^ Lit., “May you support me with a willing spirit.”
^ Or “despise.”