Psalm 51 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

Psa 51:1To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy on me,[fn] O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.

Psa 51:2

Psa 51:2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

Psa 51:3

Psa 51:3For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.

Psa 51:4

Psa 51:4Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.

Psa 51:5

Psa 51:5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psa 51:6

Psa 51:6Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Psa 51:7

Psa 51:7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psa 51:8

Psa 51:8Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

Psa 51:9

Psa 51:9Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.

Psa 51:10

Psa 51:10Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right[fn] spirit within me.

Psa 51:11

Psa 51:11Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Psa 51:12

Psa 51:12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Psa 51:13

Psa 51:13Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.

Psa 51:14

Psa 51:14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

Psa 51:15

Psa 51:15O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

Psa 51:16

Psa 51:16For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

Psa 51:17

Psa 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psa 51:18

Psa 51:18Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;

Psa 51:19

Psa 51:19then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

See the ESV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

ESV Footnotes

(51:1)

Or Be gracious to me

(51:10)

Or steadfast

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

See detailed copyright information.

For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.