A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Psalm 51
Psalm 51 is the fifty-first psalm. The 19-verse psalm is the most famous psalm of repentance in the Bible, attributed to David after the prophet Nathan confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah. The superscription identifies the specific historical occasion.
The psalm opens with the famous appeal: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin."
David acknowledges his sin directly. He admits his transgressions, and his sin is always before him. Against God, God only, has he sinned and done evil in his sight. God is justified when he speaks and blameless when he judges. David was brought forth in iniquity; in sin his mother conceived him.
He then asks God to teach him wisdom in the inmost place. He prays: "Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities."
The most quoted prayer in the psalm follows: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."
David promises that if he is restored, he will teach transgressors God's ways, and sinners will turn back to him. He asks God to deliver him from bloodguilt, so that his tongue will sing of God's righteousness.
The psalm declares what God truly wants: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." It closes by asking God to do good to Zion in his pleasure and to build up the walls of Jerusalem, so that proper sacrifices may again be offered.
Verse 1. For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.
Verse 2. Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Verse 3. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Verse 4. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
Verse 5. Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
Verse 6. Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Verse 7. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Verse 8. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
Verse 9. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Verse 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Verse 11. Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
Verse 12. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.
Verse 13. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.
Verse 14. Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
Verse 15. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
Verse 16. For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.
Verse 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Verse 18. In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Verse 19. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Last updated: