Psa 51 | HCSB | STEP | For the choir director . A Davidic psalm , when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba . Be gracious to me, God , according to Your faithful love ; according to Your abundant compassion , blot out my rebellion .

Psalms 51

A Prayer for Restoration

1 For the choir director. A Davidic psalm, when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba. ^a

Be gracious to me, God,
according to Your faithful love;
according to Your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion. ^b
2 Wash away my ^{▼▼guilt/guilty: The liability to be punished for a fault, a sin, an act, or an omission unless there is forgiveness or atonement; the term normally concerns an objective fact, not a subjective feeling.}guilt
and cleanse me from my sin. ^d
3 For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me. ^e
4 Against You – You alone – I have sinned
and done this evil in Your sight. ^f
So You are right when You pass sentence;
You are blameless when You judge. ^g
5 Indeed, I was guilty when I was born;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me. ^h

6 Surely You desire integrity in the inner self,
and You teach me wisdom deep within. ⁱ
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be ^{▼▼clean: When something is clean, it is holy or acceptable to God. When it is unclean, it is unholy (such as an unclean spirit). The term can be used in a ritual sense to apply to moral standards for living.}clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. ^k
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed rejoice. ^l
9 Turn Your face away ^{▼▼Lit Hide Your face} from my sins
and blot out all my guilt. ⁿ

10 God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast ^{▼▼Or right} spirit within me. ^p
11 Do not banish me from Your presence
or take Your Holy Spirit from me. ^q
12 Restore the joy of Your salvation to me,
and give me a willing spirit. ^{▼▼Or and sustain me with a noble spirit
,} ^s
13 Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways,
and sinners will return to You. ^t

14 Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, ^u
the God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness. ^v
15 Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare Your praise. ^w
16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
You are not pleased with a ^{▼▼burnt offering(s): Or holocaust, an offering completely burned to ashes; it was used in connection with worship, seeking God's favor, expiating sin, or averting judgment.}burnt offering. ^y
17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is ^{▼▼Lit The sacrifices of God are} a broken spirit.
God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart. ^aa

18 In Your good pleasure, cause ^{▼▼Zion: Originally a term for the fortified section of Jerusalem and then, by extension, used for the temple and the city of Jerusalem both in the present time and in the future}Zion to prosper;
build ^{▼▼Or rebuild} the walls of Jerusalem. ^ad
19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar. ^ae