1 To him that excelleth. A Psalme of David, when the Prophet Nathan came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Have mercie vpon me, O God, according to thy louing kindnes: according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie, and clense me from my sinne. 3 For I know mine iniquities, and my sinne is euer before me. 4 Against thee, against thee onely haue I sinned, and done euill in thy sight, that thou mayest be iust when thou speakest, and pure when thou iudgest. 5 Beholde, I was borne in iniquitie, and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me. 6 Beholde, thou louest trueth in the inwarde affections: therefore hast thou taught mee wisedome in the secret of mine heart. 7 Purge me with hyssope, and I shalbe cleane: wash me, and I shalbe whiter then snowe. 8 Make me to heare ioye and gladnes, that the bones, which thou hast broken, may reioyce. 9 Hide thy face from my sinnes, and put away all mine iniquities. 10 Create in mee a cleane heart, O God, and renue a right spirit within me. 11 Cast mee not away from thy presence, and take not thine holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation, and stablish me with thy free Spirit. 13 Then shall I teache thy wayes vnto the wicked, and sinners shalbe conuerted vnto thee. 14 Deliuer me from blood, O God, which art the God of my saluation, and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnes. 15 Open thou my lippes, O Lord, and my mouth shall shewe foorth thy praise. 16 For thou desirest no sacrifice, though I would giue it: thou delitest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit: a contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 18 Bee fauourable vnto Zion for thy good pleasure: builde the walles of Ierusalem. 19 Then shalt thou accept ye sacrifices of righteousnes, euen the burnt offering and oblation: then shall they offer calues vpon thine altar.
Psalm 51 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Original 16th-century spelling.
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)