51

Psalm 51 · Book Two · David

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba.

The Hebrew title · Berean Standard Bible

Penitential · For the choirmaster

About this psalm

The title names the worst week of David’s life: when Nathan the prophet came to him after Bathsheba. There is no excuse offered anywhere in it. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. It ends by saying what God actually wants, which is not an animal — the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.

Read it when you have done the thing you cannot undo.

My psalms

One verse at a time, slowly

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.

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Open Psalm 51 in XA Daily for the Hebrew, the cross-references and the other translations.