Psalms 51

A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, when ▼

▼2 Sam 12:1

Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1 ^bBe gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of ^cYour compassion, ^dwipe out my wrongdoings.
2 ^eWash me thoroughly from my guilt
And ^fcleanse me from my sin.
3 For I ^gknow my wrongdoings,
And my sin is constantly before me.
4 ^hAgainst You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is ⁱevil in Your sight,
So that ^jYou ▼

▼Or may be in the right

are justified ▼

▼Many mss in Your words

when You speak
And ▼

▼Lit pure

blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was ⁿbrought forth in guilt,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire ^otruth in the ▼

▼Or inward parts

innermost being,
And in secret You will ^qmake wisdom known to me.
7 ▼

▼Or May You purify...that I may be clean

Purify me ^swith hyssop, and I will be clean;
▼

▼Or May You cleanse

Cleanse me, and I will be ^uwhiter than snow.
8 ▼

▼Or May You cause

Let me hear ^wjoy and gladness,
Let the ^xbones You have broken rejoice.
9 ^yHide Your face from my sins
And wipe out all my guilty deeds.

10 ^zCreate ▼

▼Lit for

in me a ^abclean heart, God,
And renew a ^acsteadfast spirit within me.
11 ^adDo not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your ^aeHoly Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the ^afjoy of Your salvation,
And sustain me with a ^agwilling spirit.
13 Then I will ^ahteach wrongdoers Your ways,
And sinners will ▼

▼Or turn back

be ^ajconverted to You.

14 Save me from ^akthe guilt of bloodshed, God, ^althe God of my salvation;
Then my ^amtongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15 Lord, ▼

▼Or may You open

, ^aoopen my lips,
So that my mouth may ^apdeclare Your praise.
16 For You ^aqdo not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a ^arbroken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.

18 ^asBy Your favor do good to Zion;
▼

▼Or May You build

, ^auBuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You will delight in ▼

▼Or sacrifices of righteousness

, ^awrighteous sacrifices,
In ^axburnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then ▼

▼Lit they will offer bulls

bulls will be offered on Your altar.