Psalm 51

The Voice

Psalm 51

For the worship leader. A song of David after Nathan the prophet accused him of infidelity with Bathsheba.

One of the most difficult episodes in King David’s life was his affair with Bathsheba and all that resulted from it. Psalm 51 reflects the emotions he felt after Nathan confronted him with stealing Bathsheba and murdering her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11–12).

At one time or another, all people experience the painful consequences of sin. Psalm 51 has been a comfort and a help to millions who have prayed these words as their own. It invites all who are broken to come before God and lean upon His compassion. It teaches that we need not only to be forgiven for the wrong we have done, but we also need to be cleansed of its effects on us. Ultimately, it helps us recognize that if we are to be healed, it is the work of God to create in us a heart that is clean and a spirit that is strong.

¹Look on me with a heart of mercy, O God,
    according to Your generous love.
According to Your great compassion,
    wipe out every consequence of my shameful crimes.
²Thoroughly wash me, inside and out, of all my crooked deeds.
    Cleanse me from my sins.

³For I am fully aware of all I have done wrong,
    and my guilt is there, staring me in the face.
⁴It was against You, only You, that I sinned,
    for I have done what You say is wrong, right before Your eyes.
So when You speak, You are in the right.
    When You judge, Your judgments are pure and true.^[a]
⁵For I was guilty from the day I was born,
    a sinner from the time my mother became pregnant with me.

⁶But still, You long to enthrone truth throughout my being;
    in unseen places deep within me, You show me wisdom.
⁷Cleanse me of my wickedness with hyssop, and I will be clean.
    If You wash me, I will be whiter than snow.
⁸Help me hear joy and happiness as my accompaniment,
    so my bones, which You have broken, will dance in delight instead.
⁹Cover Your face so You will not see my sins,
    and erase my guilt from the record.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God;
    restore within me a sense of being brand new.
¹¹Do not throw me far away from Your presence,
    and do not remove Your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Give back to me the deep delight of being saved by You;
    let Your willing Spirit sustain me.

¹³If You do, I promise to teach rebels Your ways
    and help sinners find their way back to You.
¹⁴Free me from the guilt of murder, of shedding a man’s blood,
    O God who saves me.
    Now my tongue, which was used to destroy, will be used to sing with deep delight of how right and just You are.

¹⁵O Lord, pry open my lips
    that this mouth will sing joyfully of Your greatness.
¹⁶I would surrender my dearest possessions or destroy all that I prize to prove my regret,
    but You don’t take pleasure in sacrifices or burnt offerings.
¹⁷What sacrifice I can offer You is my broken spirit
    because a broken spirit, O God,
    a heart that honestly regrets the past,
You won’t detest.

¹⁸Be good to Zion; grant her Your favor.
    Make Jerusalem’s walls steady and strong.
¹⁹Then there will be sacrifices made,
    burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings,
With right motives that will delight You.
    And costly young bulls will be offered up to Your altar, only the best.