51:3 \51:1\To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
51:4 \51:2\Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
51:5 \51:3\For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
51:6 \51:4\Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment.
51:7 \51:5\Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
51:8 \51:6\Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
51:9 \51:7\Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
51:10 \51:8\Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice.
51:11 \51:9\Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
51:12 \51:10\Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
51:13 \51:11\Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
51:14 \51:12\Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
51:15 \51:13\Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee.
51:16 \51:14\Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance.
51:17 \51:15\O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
51:18 \51:16\For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased.
51:19 \51:17\The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
51:20 \51:18\Do good to Zion in thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
51:21 \51:19\then wilt thou delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on thy altar.
