¹ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

⁴ Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

⁵ Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.¹

1. conceive...: Heb. warm me

⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

⁹ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.¹

1. right: or, constant

¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

¹³ Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted to thee.

¹⁴ Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.¹

1. bloodguiltiness: Heb. bloods

¹⁵ O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.

¹⁶ For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it : thou delightest not in burnt offering.¹

1. else...: or, that I should

¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

¹⁸ Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹ Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bulls upon thy altar.