Psalm 51

New International Version

Psalm 51^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.^(A)

¹Have mercy^(B) on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;^(C)
according to your great compassion^(D)
    blot out^(E) my transgressions.^(F)
²Wash away^(G) all my iniquity
    and cleanse^(H) me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.^(I)
⁴Against you, you only, have I sinned^(J)
    and done what is evil in your sight;^(K)
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.^(L)
⁵Surely I was sinful^(M) at birth,^(N)
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom^(O) in that secret place.^(P)

⁷Cleanse^(Q) me with hyssop,^(R) and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.^(S)
⁸Let me hear joy and gladness;^(T)
    let the bones^(U) you have crushed rejoice.
⁹Hide your face from my sins^(V)
    and blot out^(W) all my iniquity.

¹⁰Create in me a pure heart,^(X) O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.^(Y)
¹¹Do not cast me^(Z) from your presence^(AA)
    or take your Holy Spirit^(AB) from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation^(AC)
    and grant me a willing spirit,^(AD) to sustain me.^(AE)

¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways,^(AF)
    so that sinners^(AG) will turn back to you.^(AH)
¹⁴Deliver me^(AI) from the guilt of bloodshed,^(AJ) O God,
    you who are God my Savior,^(AK)
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.^(AL)
¹⁵Open my lips, Lord,^(AM)
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶You do not delight in sacrifice,^(AN) or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷My sacrifice,^(AO) O God, is^[b] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart^(AP)
    you, God, will not despise.

¹⁸May it please you to prosper Zion,^(AQ)
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.^(AR)
¹⁹Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,^(AS)
    in burnt offerings^(AT) offered whole;
    then bulls^(AU) will be offered on your altar.

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Footnotes

Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are

Psalm 69:1-23

New International Version

Psalm 69^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.

¹Save me, O God,
    for the waters^(A) have come up to my neck.^(B)
²I sink in the miry depths,^(C)
    where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
    the floods engulf me.
³I am worn out calling for help;^(D)
    my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,^(E)
    looking for my God.
⁴Those who hate me^(F) without reason^(G)
    outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,^(H)
    those who seek to destroy me.^(I)
I am forced to restore
    what I did not steal.

⁵You, God, know my folly;^(J)
my guilt is not hidden from you.^(K)

⁶Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    may those who hope in you
    not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
    may those who seek you
    not be put to shame because of me.
⁷For I endure scorn^(L) for your sake,^(M)
    and shame covers my face.^(N)
⁸I am a foreigner to my own family,
    a stranger to my own mother’s children;^(O)
⁹for zeal for your house consumes me,^(P)
    and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.^(Q)
¹⁰When I weep and fast,^(R)
    I must endure scorn;
¹¹when I put on sackcloth,^(S)
    people make sport of me.
¹²Those who sit at the gate^(T) mock me,
    and I am the song of the drunkards.^(U)

¹³But I pray to you, Lord,
    in the time of your favor;^(V)
in your great love,^(W) O God,
    answer me with your sure salvation.
¹⁴Rescue me from the mire,
    do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
    from the deep waters.^(X)
¹⁵Do not let the floodwaters^(Y) engulf me
    or the depths swallow me up^(Z)
    or the pit close its mouth over me.^(AA)

¹⁶Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;^(AB)
    in your great mercy turn to me.
¹⁷Do not hide your face^(AC) from your servant;
    answer me quickly,^(AD) for I am in trouble.^(AE)
¹⁸Come near and rescue me;
    deliver^(AF) me because of my foes.

¹⁹You know how I am scorned,^(AG) disgraced and shamed;
    all my enemies are before you.
²⁰Scorn has broken my heart
    and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
    for comforters,^(AH) but I found none.^(AI)
²¹They put gall in my food
    and gave me vinegar^(AJ) for my thirst.^(AK)

²²May the table set before them become a snare;
may it become retribution and^[b] a trap.^(AL)
²³May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.^(AM)