1 For the music director. A psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. God, please be gracious to me, because of your trustworthy love, because of your infinite kindness please wipe away my sins. 2 Wash away all my guilt; cleanse me from my sin. 3 I admit my rebellion; my sin always stares me in my face. 4 I have sinned against you, you alone. I have done evil in your sight. So you are right in what you say, and fair when you judge. 5 It's true that I was born guilty—sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 But you want truth on the inside; you teach me wisdom deep within. 7 Purify me with hyssop so I can be clean; wash me so I can be whiter than snow. 8 Please let me hear joy and happiness again; let the bones you have crushed be glad once more. 9 Turn your face away from looking at my sins; please wipe away my guilt. 10 Create a pure mind in me, God, and make me trustworthy again. 11 Don't expel me from your presence; don't take away your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Give me back the happiness of your salvation; help me to have a willing nature. 13 Then I will teach your ways to rebellious people, and these sinners will come back to you. 14 God, please forgive me for the blood I have shed, God of my salvation, and I will sing for joy of your goodness. 15 Lord, open my lips so I can speak your praise! 16 For sacrifices don't make you happy, or I would bring one; burnt offerings aren't what pleases you. 17 The “sacrifices” that God wants are on the inside—the brokenness of repentance. God won't reject a broken and sorrowful heart. 18 Be kind to Zion, help the city; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices given in the right spirit, for all kinds of burnt offerings, and bulls sacrificed on your altar once more.
Psalm 51 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (19)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 3:19; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 51:9; Colossians 2:14
- 2 1 John 1:7–9; Hebrews 10:21–22; Ezekiel 36:25; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 4:14
- 3 Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 59:12; Psalm 38:18; Psalm 32:5; Luke 15:18–21
- 4 2 Samuel 12:13–14; Luke 15:21; Genesis 39:9; Genesis 20:6; Romans 3:4
- 5 Romans 5:12; Job 14:4; Psalm 58:3; Job 15:14–16; Ephesians 2:3
- 6 Psalm 15:2; 1 Samuel 16:7; Romans 7:22; 1 Peter 3:4; Job 38:36
- 7 1 John 1:7; Isaiah 1:18; Hebrews 9:13–14; Numbers 19:18–20; Hebrews 9:19
- 8 Hosea 6:1–2; Job 5:17–18; Psalm 6:2–3; Matthew 5:4; Psalm 126:5–6
- 9 Jeremiah 16:17; Micah 7:18–19; Colossians 2:14; Psalm 51:1; Isaiah 38:17
- 10 Ezekiel 11:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22–24; Matthew 5:8; Ezekiel 18:31
- 11 Ephesians 4:30; 2 Kings 13:23; Isaiah 63:10–11; Romans 8:9; Genesis 6:3
- 12 Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 13:5; Isaiah 61:10; Jude 24; Luke 1:47
- 13 Luke 22:32; James 5:19–20; Acts 3:19; John 21:15–17; Acts 26:18–20
- 14 Psalm 35:28; 2 Samuel 12:9; Hosea 4:2; Psalm 26:9; Acts 20:26
- 15 Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 63:3–5; Psalm 9:14; Ezekiel 29:21; Psalm 119:13
- 16 Hosea 6:6; Psalm 40:6; Hebrews 10:5–6; 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 51:6
- 17 Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 66:2; Psalm 147:3; Luke 15:10; Mark 12:33
- 18 Psalm 102:16; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 1:5; Zechariah 2:5; Luke 12:32
- 19 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).
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)