Psalms 51

The psalmist confesses his sin against God and pleads for mercy according to the LORD's lovingkindness. He cries, "Create in me a clean heart, O God," and asks not to be cast from God's presence or to have the Holy Spirit taken from him. The sacrifice God desires is a broken and contrite heart.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.	Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2	Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.	Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3	For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.	For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4	Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.	Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight; so You are right in Your verdict and justified when You judge.
5	Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.	Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6	Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.	Yet You desired faithfulness even in the womb; You taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7	Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.	Cleanse me with hyssop. I will be clean; wash me. I will be whiter than snow.
8	Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.	Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9	Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.	Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10	Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.	Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11	Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.	Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12	Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.	Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13	Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.	Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, so that sinners will turn back to You.
14	Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.	Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, You who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
15	O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.	Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16	For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.	You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17	The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.	My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart You, God, will not despise.
18	Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.	May it please You to prosper Zion, to build up 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 bullocks upon thine altar.	Then You will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.