Psalm 51

¹Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.

According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.

Cleanse me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions.

My sin is constantly before me.

⁴Against you, and you only, I have sinned,

and done that which is evil in your sight,

so you may be proved right when you speak,

and justified when you judge.

⁵Behold, I was born in iniquity.

My mother conceived me in sin.

⁶Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts.

You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

⁷Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean.

Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

⁸Let me hear joy and gladness,

that the bones which you have broken may rejoice.

⁹Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all of my iniquities.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Renew a right spirit within me.

¹¹Don’t throw me from your presence,

and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation.

Uphold me with a willing spirit.

¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways.

Sinners will be converted to you.

¹⁴Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation.

My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

¹⁵Lord, open my lips.

My mouth will declare your praise.

¹⁶For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it.

You have no pleasure in burnt offering.

¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.

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

¹⁸Do well in your good pleasure to Zion.

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,

in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings.

Then they will offer bulls on your altar.