1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David, 2 when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba. 3 Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity. 4 Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 5 For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. 6 Against you only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment. 7 For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me. 8 For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me. 9 You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow. 10 In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult. 11 Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities. 12 Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being. 13 Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. 14 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit. 15 I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you. 16 Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice. 17 O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise. 18 For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted. 19 A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn. 20 Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up. 21 Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar.
Psalms · Catholic Public Domain Version
Psalm 50 (51) Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · Psalm 51 · About the recordings
Notes on this text (4)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Psalms follow the Greek/Latin numbering, with the psalm titles counted as verse 1 (as in the Vulgate).
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
Cross references (21)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info. References use English (Hebrew-based) verse numbers; links open the passage in CPDV.
- 1 Acts 3:19; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 51:9; Colossians 2:14
- 2 Acts 3:19; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 51:9; Colossians 2:14
- 3 Acts 3:19; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 51:9; Colossians 2:14
- 4 1 John 1:7–9; Hebrews 10:21–22; Ezekiel 36:25; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 4:14
- 5 Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 59:12; Psalm 38:18; Psalm 32:5; Luke 15:18–21
- 6 2 Samuel 12:13–14; Luke 15:21; Genesis 39:9; Genesis 20:6; Romans 3:4
- 7 Romans 5:12; Job 14:4; Psalm 58:3; Job 15:14–16; Ephesians 2:3
- 8 Psalm 15:2; 1 Samuel 16:7; Romans 7:22; 1 Peter 3:4; Job 38:36
- 9 1 John 1:7; Isaiah 1:18; Hebrews 9:13–14; Numbers 19:18–20; Hebrews 9:19
- 10 Hosea 6:1–2; Job 5:17–18; Psalm 6:2–3; Matthew 5:4; Psalm 126:5–6
- 11 Jeremiah 16:17; Micah 7:18–19; Colossians 2:14; Psalm 51:1; Isaiah 38:17
- 12 Ezekiel 11:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22–24; Matthew 5:8; Ezekiel 18:31
- 13 Ephesians 4:30; 2 Kings 13:23; Isaiah 63:10–11; Romans 8:9; Genesis 6:3
- 14 Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 13:5; Isaiah 61:10; Jude 24; Luke 1:47
- 15 Luke 22:32; James 5:19–20; Acts 3:19; John 21:15–17; Acts 26:18–20
- 16 Psalm 35:28; 2 Samuel 12:9; Hosea 4:2; Psalm 26:9; Acts 20:26
- 17 Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 63:3–5; Psalm 9:14; Ezekiel 29:21; Psalm 119:13
- 18 Hosea 6:6; Psalm 40:6; Hebrews 10:5–6; 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 51:6
- 19 Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 66:2; Psalm 147:3; Luke 15:10; Mark 12:33
- 20 Psalm 102:16; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 1:5; Zechariah 2:5; Luke 12:32
- 21 Psalm 4:5; Ephesians 5:2; Malachi 3:3; Romans 12:1; Psalm 66:13–15
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations). Verse numbers below follow the Hebrew/English numbering: 51.
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
How much availeth the Word of God to us for the correction of our life, both regarding His rewards to be expected, and His punishments to be feared, let each one measure in himself; and let him put his conscience without deceit before His eyes, and not flatter himself in a danger so great: for ye see that even our …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart the Lord will not despise." Because, therefore, God stands in need of nothing, He declares in the preceding Psalm: "I will take no calves out of thine house, nor he-goats out of thy fold.
But if "I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me," where, I pray thee, O my God, where, Lord, or when was I, Thy servant, innocent?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… is this last lowliness of mind which that blessed prophet commends, picturing to us the temper that is not merely subdued, but utterly broken, when he saith, "The sacrifice for God is a contrite spirit, a contrite and an humble heart God will not despise." And the Three Children also offer this unto God as a great sacrifice, saying, "Nevertheless, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… the Kingdoms, how by the Holy Ghost they prophesied themselves, and were rulers of the prophets;--and Samuel was called the Seer; and David says distinctly, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and in the Psalms, And take not thy Holy Spirit from me, and again, Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the land of righteousness.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)