To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love;

according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin!

3For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

451.4: Rom 3.4.Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,

and done that which is evil in thy sight,

so that thou art justified in thy sentence

and blameless in thy judgment.

5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being;

therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8Fill51.8 Syr: Heb Make to hear me with joy and gladness;

let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice.

9Hide thy face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and right51.10 Or steadfast spirit within me.

11Cast me not away from thy presence,

and take not thy holy Spirit from me.

12Restore to me the joy of thy salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13Then I will teach transgressors thy ways,

and sinners will return to thee.

14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness,51.14 Or death O God,

thou God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance.

15O Lord, open thou my lips,

and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.

16For thou hast no delight in sacrifice;

were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased.

17The sacrifice acceptable to God51.17 Or My sacrifice, O God is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18Do good to Zion in thy good pleasure;

rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,

19then wilt thou delight in right sacrifices,

in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;

then bulls will be offered on thy altar.