Psalm 51

Psalm 51

A Prayer for Restoration

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

¹Be gracious to me, God,

according to Your faithful love;

according to Your abundant compassion,

blot out my rebellion. ^m

²Wash away my guilt

and cleanse me from my sin. ⁿ

³For I am conscious of my rebellion,

and my sin is always before me. ^o

⁴Against You—You alone—I have sinned

and done this evil in Your sight. ^p

So You are right when You pass sentence;

You are blameless when You judge. ^q

⁵Indeed, I was guilty when I was born;

I was sinful when my mother conceived me. ^r

⁶Surely You desire integrity in the inner self,

and You teach me wisdom deep within. ^s

⁷Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. ^t

⁸Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones You have crushed rejoice. ^u

⁹Turn Your face away ^vfrom my sins

and blot out all my guilt. ^w

¹⁰God, create a clean heart for me

and renew a steadfast ^xspirit within me. ^y

¹¹Do not banish me from Your presence

or take Your Holy Spirit from me. ^z

¹²Restore the joy of Your salvation to me,

and give me a willing spirit. ^ab

¹³Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways,

and sinners will return to You. ^c

¹⁴Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, ^d

the God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness. ^e

¹⁵Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare Your praise. ^f

¹⁶You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;

You are not pleased with a burnt offering. ^g

¹⁷The sacrifice pleasing to God is ^ha broken spirit.

God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart. ⁱ

¹⁸In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper;

build ^jthe walls of Jerusalem. ^k

¹⁹Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,

whole burnt offerings;

then bulls will be offered on Your altar. ^l