Psalm 51-53

New International Version

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.^(I)
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned^(J)
    and done what is evil in your sight;^(K)
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.^(L)
5 Surely I was sinful^(M) at birth,^(N)
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶ Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom^(O) in that secret place.^(P)

⁷ Cleanse^(Q) me with hyssop,^(R) and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.^(S)
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;^(T)
    let the bones^(U) you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins^(V)
    and blot out^(W) all my iniquity.

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart,^(X) O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.^(Y)
11 Do not cast me^(Z) from your presence^(AA)
    or take your Holy Spirit^(AB) from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation^(AC)
    and grant me a willing spirit,^(AD) to sustain me.^(AE)

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,^(AF)
    so that sinners^(AG) will turn back to you.^(AH)
14 Deliver me^(AI) from the guilt of bloodshed,^(AJ) O God,
    you who are God my Savior,^(AK)
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.^(AL)
15 Open my lips, Lord,^(AM)
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice,^(AN) or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice,^(AO) O God, is^[b] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart^(AP)
    you, God, will not despise.

¹⁸ May it please you to prosper Zion,^(AQ)
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.^(AR)
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,^(AS)
    in burnt offerings^(AT) offered whole;
    then bulls^(AU) will be offered on your altar.

⁵ Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
    He will snatch you up and pluck^(BE) you from your tent;
    he will uproot^(BF) you from the land of the living.^(BG)
6 The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh^(BH) at you, saying,
⁷ “Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold^(BI)
but trusted in his great wealth^(BJ)
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

⁸ But I am like an olive tree^(BK)
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust^(BL) in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
⁹ For what you have done I will always praise you^(BM)
    in the presence of your faithful people.^(BN)
And I will hope in your name,^(BO)
    for your name is good.^(BP)

² God looks down from heaven^(BT)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(BU)
    any who seek God.^(BV)
3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.^(BW)

⁴ Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
⁵ But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.^(BX)
God scattered the bones^(BY) of those who attacked you;^(BZ)
    you put them to shame,^(CA) for God despised them.^(CB)

⁶ Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When God restores his people,
    let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!