Psalm LI.

* To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, * when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba.

aHave mercy upon me, O God, aaccording to thy lovingkindness:

According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies bblot out my transgressions.

2  cWash me throughly from mine iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

3  For dI acknowledge my transgressions:

And my sin is eever before me.

4  fAgainst thee, thee only, have I sinned,

And done this evil gin thy sight:

hThat thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,

And be clear when thou judgest.

5  Behold, iI was shapen in iniquity;

And in sin did my mother * conceive me.

6  Behold, thou desirest truth jin the inward parts:

And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7  kPurge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:

cWash me, and lI shall be whiter than snow.

8  Make me to hear joy and gladness;

That mthe bones which thou hast nbroken may rejoice.

9  oHide thy face from my sins,

And bblot out all mine iniquities.

10  Create in me pa clean heart, O God;

And qrenew * a rright spirit within me.

11  sCast me not away tfrom thy presence;

And take not uthy holy Spirit from me.

12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;

And uphold me with thy wfree spirit.

13  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;

And sinners shall be xconverted unto thee.

14  Deliver me from * ybloodguiltiness, O God, thou zGod of my salvation:

And amy tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15  O Lord, open thou my lips;

And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16  For thou bdesirest not sacrifice; * else would I give it:

Thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17  The sacrifices of God are a cbroken spirit:

A cbroken and a dcontrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18  eDo good in thy good pleasure unto Zion:

fBuild thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19  Then shalt thou be bpleased with gthe sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and hwhole burnt offering:

Then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.