Psalm 51

Psalm 51

For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

¹Have mercy on me, O God,

because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion,

blot out the stain of my sins.

²Wash me clean from my guilt.

Purify me from my sin.

³For I recognize my rebellion;

it haunts me day and night.

⁴Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;

I have done what is evil in your sight.

You will be proved right in what you say,

and your judgment against me is just.

⁵For I was born a sinner—

yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

⁶But you desire honesty from the womb,

teaching me wisdom even there.

⁷Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

⁸Oh, give me back my joy again;

you have broken me—

now let me rejoice.

⁹Don’t keep looking at my sins.

Remove the stain of my guilt.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Renew a loyal spirit within me.

¹¹Do not banish me from your presence,

and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and make me willing to obey you.

¹³Then I will teach your ways to rebels,

and they will return to you.

¹⁴Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;

then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.

¹⁵Unseal my lips, O Lord,

that my mouth may praise you.

¹⁶You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.

You do not want a burnt offering.

¹⁷The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.

You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

¹⁸Look with favor on Zion and help her;

rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—

with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.

Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.