Psalm 51

King James Version · 19 verses

Psalm 51 is one of the Bible's best-known prayers of repentance, traditionally David's after the prophet Nathan confronted him over Bathsheba. It makes no excuses and offers no bargain: it asks for mercy on the grounds of God's character, then asks for something new to be made — a clean heart and a right spirit. Near its end it says that what God wants is not sacrifice but a broken and contrite heart.

1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

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

4Against 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Key verses in Psalm 51

  • Psalm 51:1-2 — The appeal is to lovingkindness and tender mercies — to who God is, not to anything David can offer.
  • Psalm 51:10 — Create is the same Hebrew verb as in Genesis 1:1. David is asking for more than a repair — for God to make something new.
  • Psalm 51:17 — A broken and a contrite heart thou wilt not despise — the line that makes the psalm usable by anyone.