1 For the leader. A psalm of David,
when Natan the prophet came to him after his affair with Bat-Sheva: God, in
your grace, have mercy on me; in your great compassion, blot out my
crimes.
2 Wash me completely from my guilt, and
cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my crimes, my sin
confronts me all the time.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil from your perspective; so that you are right in accusing
me and justified in passing sentence.
5 True, I was born guilty, was a sinner
from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 Still, you want truth in the inner
person; so make me know wisdom in my inmost heart.
7 Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will
be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear the sound of joy and
gladness, so that the bones you crushed can rejoice.
9 Turn away your face from my sins, and
blot out all my crimes.
10 Create in me a clean heart, God;
renew in me a resolute spirit.
11 Don't thrust me away from your
presence, don't take your Ruach Kodesh away from me.
12 Restore my joy in your salvation,
and let a willing spirit uphold me.
13 Then I will teach the wicked your
ways, and sinners will return to you.
14 Rescue me from the guilt of shedding
blood, God, God of my salvation! Then my tongue will sing about your
righteousness
15 Adonai, open my lips; then my mouth
will praise you.
16 For you don't want sacrifices, or I
would give them; you don't take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice to God is a broken
spirit; God, you won't spurn a broken, chastened heart.
18 In your good pleasure, make Tziyon
prosper; rebuild the walls of Yerushalayim.
19 Then you will delight in righteous
sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then they will offer
bulls on your altar.
