Psalms 51

51 ¹Have mercy on me, my Father, according to your covenant love; according to your abundant compassion blot out my rebellions. ²Wash me thoroughly from my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin. ³For I know my rebellions, and my sin is always before me. ⁴Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. ⁵I was born in guilt, and in sin my mother conceived me. ⁶Yet you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. ^a a v7 Hyssop was a small shrub used in Old Testament purification rituals — here a symbol of thorough cleansing. ⁸Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. ⁹Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my guilt.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, my Father, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ¹¹Do not banish me from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. ¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

¹³Then I will teach wrongdoers your ways, and sinners will return to you. ¹⁴Deliver me from bloodguilt, my Father, the Father of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. ¹⁵Sovereign Father, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

¹⁶For you do not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you take no pleasure in burnt offering. ¹⁷The sacrifices of my Father are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, my Father, you will not despise.

¹⁸Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem. ¹⁹Then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.