Old Testament

Psalms 51

David's Plea for a New Heart

6 passages

Overview

Beginning with an appeal to God's covenant mercy and a frank confession of sin rooted in the human condition, Psalm 51 moves through urgent pleas for interior cleansing, a newly created heart, and the sustaining presence of God's Spirit, before culminating in a vow to teach other sinners, an opening of the lips in praise, and intercession for the restoration of Zion's worship — tracing repentance as an inside-out transformation that reaches its fullness only when the whole community is renewed.

Passages

1–5The Cry for Mercy and Confession of Sin 6–9God's Desire for Inner Truth and the Plea for Purification 10–12Create in Me a Clean Heart: Prayer for Renewal and the Holy Spirit 13–15Vows of Witness and Praise 16–17The True Sacrifice: A Broken and Contrite Heart 18–19The City Rebuilt, the Altar Restored

Study Resources

Psalms 51

¹For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me.

⁴Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight, so you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge.

⁵Behold, I was born in iniquity. My mother conceived me in sin.

⁶Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

⁷Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

⁸Let me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which you have broken may rejoice.

⁹Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.

¹¹Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit.

¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you.

¹⁴Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

¹⁵Lord, open my lips. My mouth will declare your praise.

¹⁶For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering.

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

¹⁸Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings. Then they will offer bulls on your altar.

Psalms 50 Psalms 52