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Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

For the choir 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, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the abundance of (B)Your compassion (C)blot out my transgressions.
(D)Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And (E)cleanse me from my sin.
For [b]I (F)know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
(G)Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is (H)evil in Your sight,
So that (I)You [c]are justified [d]when You speak
And pure when You judge.

Behold, I was (J)brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You delight in (K)truth in the [e]innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will (L)make me know wisdom.
[f]Purify me (M)with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
[g]Wash me, and I shall be (N)whiter than snow.
[h]Make me to hear (O)joy and gladness,
Let the (P)bones which You have crushed rejoice.
(Q)Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

10 (R)Create [i]in me a (S)clean heart, O God,
And renew [j]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.
12 Restore to me the (W)joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a (X)willing spirit.
13 Then I will (Y)teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will [k]be (Z)converted to You.

14 Deliver me from (AA)bloodguiltiness, O God, (AB)the God of my salvation;
Then my (AC)tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, [l](AD)open my lips,
That my mouth may (AE)declare Your praise.
16 For You (AF)do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a (AG)broken spirit;
A broken and a [m]contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 51 Title 2 Sam 12:1
  2. Psalm 51:3 Or I myself know
  3. Psalm 51:4 Or may be in the right
  4. Psalm 51:4 Many mss in Your words
  5. Psalm 51:6 Or inward parts
  6. Psalm 51:7 Or May You purify...that I may be clean
  7. Psalm 51:7 Or May You wash
  8. Psalm 51:8 Or May You make
  9. Psalm 51:10 Lit for
  10. Psalm 51:10 Or an upright
  11. Psalm 51:13 Or turn back
  12. Psalm 51:15 Or may You open
  13. Psalm 51:17 Lit crushed
  14. Psalm 51:18 Or May You build
  15. Psalm 51:19 Or sacrifices of righteousness
  16. Psalm 51:19 Lit they will offer young bulls

Psalm 51

For the music leader. A psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him just after he had been with Bathsheba.

51 Have mercy on me, God, according to your faithful love!
    Wipe away my wrongdoings according to your great compassion!
Wash me completely clean of my guilt;
    purify me from my sin!
Because I know my wrongdoings,
    my sin is always right in front of me.
I’ve sinned against you—you alone.
    I’ve committed evil in your sight.
That’s why you are justified when you render your verdict,
    completely correct when you issue your judgment.
Yes, I was born in guilt, in sin,
    from the moment my mother conceived me.
And yes, you want truth in the most hidden places;
    you teach me wisdom in the most secret space.[a]

Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean;
    wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and celebration again;
    let the bones you crushed rejoice once more.
Hide your face from my sins;
    wipe away all my guilty deeds!
10 Create a clean heart for me, God;
    put a new, faithful spirit deep inside me!
11 Please don’t throw me out of your presence;
    please don’t take your holy spirit away from me.
12 Return the joy of your salvation to me
    and sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach wrongdoers your ways,
    and sinners will come back to you.

14 Deliver me from violence, God, God of my salvation,
    so that my tongue can sing of your righteousness.
15 Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
16 You don’t want sacrifices.
    If I gave an entirely burned offering,
    you wouldn’t be pleased.
17 A broken spirit is my sacrifice, God.[b]
    You won’t despise a heart, God, that is broken and crushed.
18 Do good things for Zion by your favor.
    Rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.
19 Then you will again want sacrifices of righteousness—
    entirely burned offerings and complete offerings.
        Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 51:6 Heb uncertain
  2. Psalm 51:17 Correction