Psalm 51
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David:
2. When Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba:
3. Be gracious to me, O God, according to your loving kindness; according to the multitude of your mercies blot out my transgressions:
4. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin:
5. For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is always before me:
6. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight; so that you are justified in your sentence, and clear in your judgment:
7. Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me:
8. Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts; therefore teach me wisdom in the inmost heart:
9. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow:
10. Let me hear joy and gladness; that the bones which you have broken may rejoice:
11. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities:
12. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a constant spirit inside me:
13. Do not cast me away from your presence; and do not take your holy spirit from me:
14. Restore to me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with a willing spirit:
15. Then I will teach transgressors your ways; and sinners shall return to you:
16. Save me from bloodguiltiness, O God, you God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness:
17. O Lord, open you my lips; and my mouth shall declare your praise:
18. For you do not desire sacrifice; or else would I give it; you do not delight in burnt offering:
19. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise:
20. Do good in your good will to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem:
21. Then shall you be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then shall they offer bulls upon your altar:
