51 Be gracious to me, O God, according to your loyal love.
According to your abundant mercies,
blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and from my sin cleanse me.
³ For I myself know^[b] my transgressions,^[c]
and my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against you, only you, I have sinned
and have done this evil^[d] in your eyes,
so that you are correct when you speak,
you are blameless when you judge.
⁵ Behold, in iniquity I was born,
and in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶ Behold, you delight in truth in the inward parts,
and in the hidden parts you make me to know wisdom.
⁷ Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Make me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
and all my iniquities blot out.
¹⁰ Create a clean heart for me, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.^[e]
11 Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and with a willing spirit sustain me.
¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
the God of my salvation;
then my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
¹⁶ For you do not delight in sacrifice or I would give it.
With a burnt offering you are not pleased.
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
¹⁸ Do good in your favor toward Zion.
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices,
burnt offering and whole burnt offering.
Then bulls will be offered on your altar.