For the music director; a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.

51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love! Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!

51:2 Scrub away my wrongdoing! Cleanse me of my sin!

51:3 For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin.

51:4 Against you, especially you, I have sinned; I have done what is sinful in your sight. So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me.

• Refer to Romans 3:4 :: Paul’s paraphrase

51:5 Look, I was prone to do wrong from birth; I was a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.

51:6 Look, you desire integrity in the inner man; you want me to possess wisdom.

51:7 Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

51:8 Give me the ecstatic joy of being forgiven! May the bones you crushed rejoice!

51:9 Hide your face from my sins! Wipe away all my wrong acts!

51:10 Create for me a pure heart! Transform me and give me integrity!

51:11 Do not reject me! Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!

• Refer to Holy Spirit

51:12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance! Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey!

51:13 Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to you.

51:14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me! Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance.

51:15 O sovereign Master, give me reason to celebrate! Then my mouth will praise you.

51:16 Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.

51:17 The “sacrifices” God desires are a humble attitude — O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.