Psalm 51

PSALM 51

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

For the choir director. A Psalm of David. When ^†Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

^1aBe gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;

According to the abundance of ^bYour compassion ^cblot out my transgressions.

^2aWash me thoroughly from my iniquity

And ^bcleanse me from my sin.

³For ¹I ^aknow my transgressions,

And my sin is ever before me.

^4aAgainst You, You only, I have sinned

And done what is ^bevil in Your sight,

So that ^cYou ¹are justified ²when You speak

And pure when You judge.

⁵Behold, I was ^abrought forth in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

⁶Behold, You delight in ^atruth in the ¹innermost being,

And in the hidden part You will ^bmake me know wisdom.

⁷¹Purify me ^awith hyssop, and I shall be clean;

²Wash me, and I shall be ^bwhiter than snow.

⁸¹Make me to hear ^ajoy and gladness,

Let the ^bbones which You have crushed rejoice.

^9aHide Your face from my sins

And blot out all my iniquities.

^10aCreate ¹in me a ^bclean heart, O God,

And renew ²a ^csteadfast spirit within me.

^11aDo not cast me away from Your presence

And do not take Your ^bHoly Spirit from me.

¹²Restore to me the ^ajoy of Your salvation

And sustain me with a ^bwilling spirit.

¹³Then I will ^ateach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners will ¹be ^bconverted to You.

¹⁴Deliver me from ^abloodguiltiness, O God, ^bthe God of my salvation;

Then my ^ctongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

¹⁵O Lord, ^1aopen my lips,

That my mouth may ^bdeclare Your praise.

¹⁶For You ^ado not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;

You are not pleased with burnt offering.

¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a ^abroken spirit;

A broken and a ¹contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

^18aBy Your favor do good to Zion;

^1bBuild the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then You will delight in ^1arighteous sacrifices,

In ^bburnt offering and whole burnt offering;

Then ²young bulls will be offered on Your altar.