Psalms 51

A contrite sinner’s prayer for pardon.

For 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 to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

²Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions; And my sin is ever before me.

⁴Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in thy sight; That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest.

⁵Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.

⁶Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; And in the hidden part thou wilt make me to know wisdom.

⁷Purify 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 a willing 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 show forth thy praise.

¹⁶For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering.

¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

¹⁸Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: Build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then will thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, In burnt-offering and in whole burnt-offering: Then will they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Psalms 51 (ASV)

Click verse numbers to view individual verses with commentary

View interlinear text with original Hebrew/Greek →

Psalms

Chapter 51

51 of 150