1 A Prayer of Repentance To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David 2 Sam. 12:1 when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, (Is. 43:25; 44:22; Acts 3:19; Col. 2:14) Blot out my transgressions.
2 Jer. 33:8; Ezek. 36:33; (Heb. 9:14;1 John 1:7, 9) Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
4 2 Sam. 12:13 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil (Luke 5:21) in Your sight— Rom. 3:4 That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
5 (Job 14:4; Ps. 58:3; John 3:6; Rom. 5:12) Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
7 Ex. 12:22; Lev. 14:4; Num. 19:18; Heb. 9:19 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be (Is. 1:18) whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken (Matt. 5:4) may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.
10 (Ezek. 18:31; Eph. 2:10) Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your (Luke 11:13) Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your (2 Cor. 3:17) generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For (1 Sam. 15:22); Ps. 50:8–14; (Mic. 6:6–8) You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 Ps. 34:18; (Is. 57:15); 66:2 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.
18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You shall be pleased with Ps. 4:5 the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.