PSALM 51

¹For the lead player, a David psalm, ²upon Nathan the prophet’s coming to him when he had come to bed with Bathsheba.

    ³Grant me grace, God, as befits Your kindness,

          with Your great mercy wipe away my crimes.

    ⁴Thoroughly wash my transgressions away

          and cleanse me from my offense.

    ⁵For my crimes I know,

          and my offense is before me always.

    ⁶You alone have I offended,

          and what is evil in Your eyes I have done.

    So You are just when You sentence,

          You are right when You judge.

    ⁷Look, in transgression was I conceived,

          and in offense my mother spawned me.

    ⁸Look, You desired truth in what is hidden;

          in what is concealed make wisdom known to me.

    ⁹Purify me with a hyssop, that I be clean.

          Wash me, that I be whiter than snow.

    ¹⁰Let me hear gladness and joy,

          let the bones that You crushed exult.

    ¹¹Avert Your face from my offenses,

          and all my misdeeds wipe away.

    ¹²A pure heart create for me, God,

          and a firm spirit renew within me.

    ¹³Do not fling me from Your presence,

          and Your holy spirit take not from me.

    ¹⁴Give me back the gladness of Your rescue

          and with a noble spirit sustain me.

    ¹⁵Let me teach transgressors Your ways,

          and offenders will come back to You.

    ¹⁶Save me from bloodshed, O God,

          God of my rescue.

              Let my tongue sing out Your bounty.

    ¹⁷O Master, open my lips,

          that my mouth may tell Your praise.

    ¹⁸For You desire not that I should give sacrifice,

          burnt offering You greet not with pleasure.

    ¹⁹God’s sacrifices—a broken spirit.

          A broken, crushed heart God spurns not.

    ²⁰Show goodness in Your pleasure to Zion,

          rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

    ²¹Then shall You desire just sacrifices,

          burnt offering and whole offering,

              then bulls will be offered up on Your altar.