Psalm 51
After thy loving-kindness, Lord,
have mercy upon me:
For thy compassions great,
blot out all mine iniquity.
Me cleanse from sin, and throughly wash
from mine iniquity:
For my transgressions I confess;
my sin I ever see.
’Gainst thee, thee only, have I sinn’d,
in thy sight done this ill;
That when thou speak’st thou may’st be just,
and clear in judging still.
Behold, I in iniquity
was form’d the womb within;
My mother also me conceiv’d
in guiltiness and sin.
Behold, thou in the inward parts
with truth delighted art;
And wisdom thou shalt make me know
within the hidden part.
Do thou with hyssop sprinkle me,
I shall be cleansed so;
Yea, wash thou me, and then I shall be
whiter than the snow.
Of gladness and of joyfulness
make me to hear the voice;
That so these very bones which thou
hast broken may rejoice.
All mine iniquities blot out,
thy face hide from my sin.
Create a clean heart, Lord, renew
a right sp’rit me within.
Cast me not from thy sight, nor take
thy Holy Sp’rit away. 12
Restore me thy salvation’s joy;
with thy free Sp’rit me stay.
Then will I teach thy ways unto
those that transgressors be;
And those that sinners are shall then
be turned unto thee.
O God, of my salvation God,
me from blood-guiltiness
Set free; then shall my tongue aloud
sing of thy righteousness.
My closed lips, O Lord, by thee
let them be opened;
Then shall thy praises by my mouth
abroad be published.
For thou desir’st not sacrifice,
else would I give it thee;
Nor wilt thou with burnt-offering
at all delighted be.
A broken spirit is to God
a pleasing sacrifice:
A broken and a contrite heart
Lord, thou wilt not despise.
Shew kindness, and do good, O Lord,
to Sion, thine own hill:
The walls of thy Jerusalem
build up of thy good will.
Then righteous off ‘rings shall thee please,
and off ‘rings burnt, which they
With whole burnt-off ‘rings, and with calves,
shall on thine altar lay.
Anonymous Christian Poetry
Public Domain