Psalms 51

King David asks God to forgive him #51:1 David wrote this psalm after he had done something very bad. Then God's prophet Nathan came to David and he warned David. After that, David was very sorry for the bad things that he had done. He asked God to forgive him. See 2 Samuel 11–12.

1Please forgive me, God, because of your faithful love. Because you are so kind, please clean away my sins.

2I have done bad things, so wash me to make me clean again.

3I know that I have not obeyed you. I cannot forget that I am guilty.

4It is you that I have done bad things against, only you! I have done things that are evil, as you know. And so you are fair when you speak against me. You are right when you say that I am guilty.

5Yes, even from the day I was born I have done bad things. I have always been guilty of sin.

6But you want me to be completely good and honest. You want to teach me to be wise in the way that I live.

7Splash water over me with a hyssop plant, and I will be really clean. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

8Please forgive me so that I can be happy. Then my whole body will feel well again.

9Hide your face from my sins. Clean away all the bad things that I have done.

10God, please make my heart new and clean. And make my spirit strong and true, deep inside me.

11Do not send me away from you. Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me.

12Give me joy again, because you have made me safe. Make me strong and ready to obey you.

13Then I will teach your ways to people who have turned against you. Then sinners will turn back and they will obey you.

14God, I am guilty of murder. Please forgive me! You are the one who saves me. When you rescue me, I will sing aloud about your righteousness.

15My Lord, help me to speak, and then I will praise you.

16I would be happy to offer sacrifices to you, but that is not what you really want. You do not want a burnt offering from me.

17You want me to be humble and sorry. That is the sacrifice that you want. When people are humble and they turn away from their sins, you will not refuse them.

18God, please be kind and help Zion. Make the walls of Jerusalem strong again.

19Then you will accept our proper sacrifices. Our burnt offerings and sacrifices of whole animals will make you happy. Once again, people will offer bulls to you, on your altar.