Psalm 51:1–17

1 Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy,

blot out my transgressions.*

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.*

3 For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.*

4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are justified in your sentence

and blameless when you pass judgment.*

5 Indeed, I was born guilty,

a sinner when my mother conceived me.*

6 You desire truth in the inward being;y

therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.*

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.*

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.*

9 Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities.*

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and rightz spirit within me.*

11 Do not cast me away from your presence,

and do not take your holy spirit from me.*

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain in me a willinga spirit.*

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will return to you.*

14 Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,

O God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.*

15 O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.*

16 For you have no delight in sacrifice;

if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.*

17 The sacrifice acceptable to Godb is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.*