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To the director: A song of David written when Nathan the prophet came to him after David’s sin with Bathsheba.

51 God, be merciful to me
    because of your faithful love.
Because of your great compassion,
    erase all the wrongs I have done.
Scrub away my guilt.
    Wash me clean from my sin.
I know I have done wrong.
    I remember that sin all the time.
I did what you said is wrong.
    You are the one I have sinned against.
I say this so that people will know
    that I am wrong and you are right.
    What you decided is fair.
I was born to do wrong,
    a sinner before I left my mother’s womb.
You want me to be completely loyal,
    so put true wisdom deep inside of me.
Remove my sin and make me pure.[a]
    Wash me until I am whiter than snow!
Let me hear sounds of joy and happiness again.
    Let the bones you crushed be happy again.
Don’t look at my sins.
    Erase them all.
10 God, create a pure heart in me,
    and make my spirit strong again.
11 Don’t push me away
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Your help made me so happy.
    Give me that joy again.
    Make my spirit strong and ready to obey you.
13 I will teach the guilty how you want them to live,
    and the sinners will come back to you.
14 God, spare me from the punishment of death.[b]
    My God, you are the one who saves me!
Let me sing about all the good things you do for me!
15     My Lord, I will open my mouth and sing your praises!
16 You don’t really want sacrifices,
    or I would give them to you.
17 The sacrifice that God wants is a humble spirit.
    God, you will not turn away someone who comes with a humble heart and is willing to obey you.[c]

18 God, please be good to Zion.
    Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you can enjoy the kind of sacrifices you want.[d]
    You will receive whole burnt offerings,
    and people will again offer bulls on your altar.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 51:7 Remove … pure Literally, “Cleanse me with hyssop.” See “hyssop” in the Word List.
  2. Psalm 51:14 spare … death Or “don’t consider me guilty of murder.”
  3. Psalm 51:17 someone … obey you Literally, “a broken and crushed heart.”
  4. Psalm 51:19 the kind … you want Or “the offering of righteousness.”

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)

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

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.(I)
Against 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)
Surely I was sinful(M) at birth,(N)
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom(O) in that secret place.(P)

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

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

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,(AF)
    so that sinners(AG) will turn back to you.(AH)
14 Deliver 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)
15 Open my lips, Lord,(AM)
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice,(AN) or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice,(AO) O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart(AP)
    you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,(AQ)
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.(AR)
19 Then 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.

Footnotes

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