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Psalm 51
New International Version

### Psalm 51[a]

#### For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.(A)

1 Have mercy(B) on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;(C)
according to your great compassion(D)
blot out(E) my transgressions.(F)
2 Wash away(G) all my iniquity
and cleanse(H) me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.(I)
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned(J)
and done what is evil in your sight;(K)
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.(L)
5 Surely I was sinful(M) at birth,(N)
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom(O) in that secret place.(P)

7 Cleanse(Q) me with hyssop,(R) and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.(S)
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;(T)
let the bones(U) you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins(V)
and blot out(W) all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart,(X) O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.(Y)
11 Do not cast me(Z) from your presence(AA)
or take your Holy Spirit(AB) from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation(AC)
and grant me a willing spirit,(AD) to sustain me.(AE)

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,(AF)
so that sinners(AG) will turn back to you.(AH)
14 Deliver me(AI) from the guilt of bloodshed,(AJ) O God,
you who are God my Savior,(AK)
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.(AL)
15 Open my lips, Lord,(AM)
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice,(AN) or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice,(AO) O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart(AP)
you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,(AQ)
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.(AR)
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,(AS)
in burnt offerings(AT) offered whole;
then bulls(AU) will be offered on your altar.

#### Footnotes

1. Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
2. Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are

#### Cross references

1. Psalm 51:1 : 2Sa 11:4; 12:1
2. Psalm 51:1 : S 2Sa 24:14; S Ps 9:13
3. Psalm 51:1 : S Ps 25:7; S 119:88
4. Psalm 51:1 : S Ne 9:27; Ps 86:15; Isa 63:7
5. Psalm 51:1 : S 2Sa 12:13; S 2Ch 6:21; S Ne 4:5; Ac 3:19
6. Psalm 51:1 : S Ps 39:8
7. Psalm 51:2 : S Ru 3:3; Jer 2:22; 13:27; Ac 22:16; 1Jn 1:9
8. Psalm 51:2 : Pr 20:30; Isa 4:4; Eze 36:25; Zec 13:1; Mt 23:25-26; Heb 9:14
9. Psalm 51:3 : Isa 59:12
10. Psalm 51:4 : S 1Sa 15:24
11. Psalm 51:4 : S Ge 20:6; Lk 15:21
12. Psalm 51:4 : Ro 3:4*
13. Psalm 51:5 : S Lev 5:2
14. Psalm 51:5 : S Job 5:7
15. Psalm 51:6 : Ps 119:66; 143:10
16. Psalm 51:6 : S Job 9:4; S 34:32
17. Psalm 51:7 : Isa 4:4; Eze 36:25; Zec 13:1
18. Psalm 51:7 : S Ex 12:22; S Nu 19:6; Heb 9:19
19. Psalm 51:7 : Isa 1:18; 43:25; 44:22
20. Psalm 51:8 : Isa 35:10; Jer 33:11; Joel 1:16
21. Psalm 51:8 : S Ex 12:46
22. Psalm 51:9 : Jer 16:17; Zec 4:10
23. Psalm 51:9 : S 2Sa 12:13
24. Psalm 51:10 : S Ps 24:4; 78:37; Mt 5:8; Ac 15:9
25. Psalm 51:10 : Eze 18:31; 36:26
26. Psalm 51:11 : Ps 27:9; 71:9; 138:8
27. Psalm 51:11 : S Ge 4:14; S Ex 33:15
28. Psalm 51:11 : Ps 106:33; Isa 63:10; Eph 4:30
29. Psalm 51:12 : S Job 33:26
30. Psalm 51:12 : Ps 110:3
31. Psalm 51:12 : S Ps 18:35
32. Psalm 51:13 : S Ex 33:13; Ac 9:21-22
33. Psalm 51:13 : S Ps 1:1
34. Psalm 51:13 : S Job 33:27
35. Psalm 51:14 : S Ps 39:8
36. Psalm 51:14 : S 2Sa 12:9
37. Psalm 51:14 : Ps 25:5; 68:20; 88:1
38. Psalm 51:14 : S Ps 5:8; 35:28; 71:15
39. Psalm 51:15 : Ex 4:15
40. Psalm 51:16 : S 1Sa 15:22
41. Psalm 51:17 : Pr 15:8; Hag 2:14
42. Psalm 51:17 : Mt 11:29
43. Psalm 51:18 : Ps 102:16; 147:2; Isa 14:32; 51:3; Zec 1:16-17
44. Psalm 51:18 : Ps 69:35; Isa 44:26
45. Psalm 51:19 : Dt 33:19
46. Psalm 51:19 : Ps 66:13; 96:8; Jer 17:26
47. Psalm 51:19 : Ps 66:15

New International Version (NIV)

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