Psalm 51-52

New American Standard Bible

A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, when ^[a]Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

51 ^(A)Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of ^(B)Your compassion, ^(C)wipe out my wrongdoings.
²^(D)Wash me thoroughly from my guilt
And ^(E)cleanse me from my sin.
³For I ^(F)know my wrongdoings,
And my sin is constantly before me.
⁴^(G)Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is ^(H)evil in Your sight,
So that ^(I)You ^[b]are justified ^[c]when You speak
And ^[d]blameless when You judge.

⁵Behold, I was ^(J)brought forth in guilt,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶Behold, You desire ^(K)truth in the ^[e]innermost being,
And in secret You will ^(L)make wisdom known to me.
⁷^[f]Purify me ^(M)with hyssop, and I will be clean;
^[g]Cleanse me, and I will be ^(N)whiter than snow.
⁸^[h]Let me hear ^(O)joy and gladness,
Let the ^(P)bones You have broken rejoice.
⁹^(Q)Hide Your face from my sins
And wipe out all my guilty deeds.

¹⁰^(R)Create ^[i]in me a ^(S)clean heart, God,
And renew a ^(T)steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹^(U)Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your ^(V)Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the ^(W)joy of Your salvation,
And sustain me with a ^(X)willing spirit.
¹³Then I will ^(Y)teach wrongdoers Your ways,
And sinners will ^[j]be ^(Z)converted to You.

¹⁴Save me from ^(AA)the guilt of bloodshed, God, ^(AB)the God of my salvation;
Then my ^(AC)tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
¹⁵Lord, ^[k]^(AD)open my lips,
So that my mouth may ^(AE)declare Your praise.
¹⁶For You ^(AF)do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offering.
¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a ^(AG)broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.

¹⁸^(AH)By Your favor do good to Zion;
^[l]^(AI)Build the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹Then You will delight in ^[m]^(AJ)righteous sacrifices,
In ^(AK)burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then ^[n]bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Futility of Boastful Wickedness.

For the music director. A ^[o]Maskil of David, ^[p]when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

52 Why do you ^(AL)boast in evil, you mighty man?
The ^(AM)faithfulness of God endures all day long.
²Your tongue devises ^(AN)destruction,
Like a ^(AO)sharp razor, ^(AP)you worker of deceit.
³You ^(AQ)love evil more than good,
^(AR)Lies more than speaking what is right. Selah
⁴You love all words that devour,
You ^(AS)deceitful tongue.

⁵^[q]But God will break you down forever;
He will snatch you up and ^(AT)tear you away from your tent,
And ^(AU)uproot you from the ^(AV)land of the living. Selah
⁶The righteous will ^(AW)see and fear,
And they will ^(AX)laugh at him, saying,
⁷“Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,
But ^(AY)trusted in the abundance of his riches
And ^(AZ)was strong in ^[r]his evil desire.”

⁸But as for me, I am like a ^(BA)green olive tree in the house of God;
I ^(BB)trust in the faithfulness of God forever and ever.
⁹I will ^(BC)praise You forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, ^(BD)for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.

Footnotes

Psalm 51 Title 2 Sam 12:1
Psalm 51:4 Or may be in the right
Psalm 51:4 Many mss in Your words
Psalm 51:4 Lit pure
Psalm 51:6 Or inward parts
Psalm 51:7 Or May You purify...that I may be clean
Psalm 51:7 Or May You cleanse
Psalm 51:8 Or May You cause
Psalm 51:10 Lit for
Psalm 51:13 Or turn back
Psalm 51:15 Or may You open
Psalm 51:18 Or May You build
Psalm 51:19 Or sacrifices of righteousness
Psalm 51:19 Lit they will offer bulls
Psalm 52 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
Psalm 52 Title 1 Sam 22:9
Psalm 52:5 Or Also
Psalm 52:7 Or his destruction

Psalm 51-52

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.

Psalm 52^[c]

For the director of music. A maskil^[d] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(AV) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

¹Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
    Why do you boast^(AW) all day long,^(AX)
    you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
²You who practice deceit,^(AY)
    your tongue plots destruction;^(AZ)
    it is like a sharpened razor.^(BA)
³You love evil^(BB) rather than good,
    falsehood^(BC) rather than speaking the truth.^[e]
⁴You love every harmful word,
    you deceitful tongue!^(BD)

⁵Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
    He will snatch you up and pluck^(BE) you from your tent;
    he will uproot^(BF) you from the land of the living.^(BG)
⁶The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh^(BH) at you, saying,
⁷“Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold^(BI)
but trusted in his great wealth^(BJ)
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

⁸But I am like an olive tree^(BK)
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust^(BL) in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
⁹For what you have done I will always praise you^(BM)
    in the presence of your faithful people.^(BN)
And I will hope in your name,^(BO)
    for your name is good.^(BP)

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 52:1 In Hebrew texts 52:1-9 is numbered 52:3-11.
Psalm 52:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 52:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 5.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 51-52

New American Standard Bible

A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, when ^[a]Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Futility of Boastful Wickedness.

For the music director. A ^[o]Maskil of David, ^[p]when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 51-52

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)

Psalm 52^[c]

For the director of music. A maskil^[d] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(AV) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 51-52 New American Standard Bible

A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, when [a]Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Futility of Boastful Wickedness.

For the music director. A [o]Maskil of David, [p]when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 51-52 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)

Psalm 52[c]

For the director of music. A maskil[d] of David. When Doeg the Edomite(AV) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 51-52

New American Standard Bible

For the music director. A Psalm of David, when ^[a]Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

For the music director. A ^[o]Maskil of David, ^[p]when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

Psalm 51-52

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)

Psalm 52^[c]

For the director of music. A maskil^[d] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(AV) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”