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Psalms · Revised Version with Apocrypha

Psalm 51 Revised Version with Apocrypha

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About RV
  • Protestant
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Critical text
  • Protestant, with the Apocrypha
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 1895
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

Notes on this text (1)

1 For the Chief Musician. A psalm of David: when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness; according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight: that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 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. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation: and uphold me with a free spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation; [and ]my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. 16 For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: thou hast no pleasure in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then shalt thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Cross references (19)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 Acts 3:19; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 51:9; Colossians 2:14
  2. 2 1 John 1:7–9; Hebrews 10:21–22; Ezekiel 36:25; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 4:14
  3. 3 Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 59:12; Psalm 38:18; Psalm 32:5; Luke 15:18–21
  4. 4 2 Samuel 12:13–14; Luke 15:21; Genesis 39:9; Genesis 20:6; Romans 3:4
  5. 5 Romans 5:12; Job 14:4; Psalm 58:3; Job 15:14–16; Ephesians 2:3
  6. 6 Psalm 15:2; 1 Samuel 16:7; Romans 7:22; 1 Peter 3:4; Job 38:36
  7. 7 1 John 1:7; Isaiah 1:18; Hebrews 9:13–14; Numbers 19:18–20; Hebrews 9:19
  8. 8 Hosea 6:1–2; Job 5:17–18; Psalm 6:2–3; Matthew 5:4; Psalm 126:5–6
  9. 9 Jeremiah 16:17; Micah 7:18–19; Colossians 2:14; Psalm 51:1; Isaiah 38:17
  10. 10 Ezekiel 11:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22–24; Matthew 5:8; Ezekiel 18:31
  11. 11 Ephesians 4:30; 2 Kings 13:23; Isaiah 63:10–11; Romans 8:9; Genesis 6:3
  12. 12 Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 13:5; Isaiah 61:10; Jude 24; Luke 1:47
  13. 13 Luke 22:32; James 5:19–20; Acts 3:19; John 21:15–17; Acts 26:18–20
  14. 14 Psalm 35:28; 2 Samuel 12:9; Hosea 4:2; Psalm 26:9; Acts 20:26
  15. 15 Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 63:3–5; Psalm 9:14; Ezekiel 29:21; Psalm 119:13
  16. 16 Hosea 6:6; Psalm 40:6; Hebrews 10:5–6; 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 51:6
  17. 17 Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 66:2; Psalm 147:3; Luke 15:10; Mark 12:33
  18. 18 Psalm 102:16; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 1:5; Zechariah 2:5; Luke 12:32
  19. 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

Articles and answers on this site that cite Psalm 51.

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).

  1. Commentary Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm L)

    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)

  2. Quotes verse 51:17 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (Book IV, Chapter XVII)

    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.

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  3. Quotes verse 51:5 Augustine of Hippo, Confessions (Book I, Chapters VII–IX)

    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)

  4. Quotes verse 51:17 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily XV)

    … 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)

  5. Quotes verse 51:11 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture XVI)

    … 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)