^1aTo the choirmaster.↑

A Psalm of David, ^1bwhen Nathan the prophet came to him, because he had gone in to Bathsheba.

^1cHave mercy on me, O God,

According to your kindness;

Wipe out my transgressions

According to the greatness of your compassion.

²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

³For I acknowledge my transgressions,

And my sin is continually before me.

⁴Against you, you only, I have sinned,

And I have done what is wrong in your sight,

⁵Behold, I was born in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

⁶Behold, you delight in truth in the inward parts,

And you make wisdom known to me

In the part which is concealed.

⁷Expiate my sin with hyssop

So that I become clean;

Wash me

So that I become whiter than snow.

⁸Give me gladness and joy to hear;

Let the bones you crushed rejoice.

⁹Hide your face from my sins,

And wipe out all my iniquities.

¹⁰Create me a clean heart, O God,

And make a new right-minded spirit in my inner self.

¹¹Do not cast me out of your presence,

And do not take your holy spirit away from me.

¹²Restore the happiness of your salvation to me,

And may a willing spirit sustain me.

¹³I will teach transgressors your ways,

So sinners will return to you.

¹⁴Deliver me from guilt of bloodshed, O God,

O God of my salvation.

Let my tongue shout out your righteousness.

¹⁵O Lord^*, open my lips

So that my mouth may declare your praise.

¹⁶For you do not take pleasure in sacrifice

Which I would give,

Nor do you desire a burnt offering.

¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A heart that is broken and contrite

God will not despise.

¹⁸Do good in your delight in Zion;

May you build the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then you will take pleasure in sacrifices of righteousness

– A standard burnt offering and a complete burnt offering.

Then they will offer bulls on your altar.

Reference(s) in Chapter 51: v.4 ↔ Romans 3:4.