Psalm 51

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

1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:

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

2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

3For I acknowledge my transgressions:

And my sin is ever before me.

4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,

And done this evil in thy sight:

That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,

And be clear when thou judgest.

5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;

And in sin did my mother conceive me.

6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts:

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

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

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8Make me to hear joy and gladness;

That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9Hide thy face from my sins,

And blot out all mine iniquities.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God;

And renew a right spirit within me.

11Cast me not away from thy presence;

And take not thy holy Spirit from me.

12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;

And uphold me with thy free spirit.

13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;

And sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation:

And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15O Lord, open thou my lips;

And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

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

Thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion:

Build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering:

Then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.