Study Desk

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.^(a)

Have mercy^(b) on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;^(c) according to your great compassion^(d) blot out^(e) my transgressions.^(f)

Wash away^(g) all my iniquity and cleanse^(h) me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.⁽ⁱ⁾

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)

Surely I was sinful^(m) at birth,⁽ⁿ⁾ sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom^(o) in that secret place.^(p)

Cleanse^(q) me with hyssop,^(r) and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.^(s)

Let me hear joy and gladness;^(t) let the bones^(u) you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins^(v) and blot out^(w) all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart,^(x) O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.^(y)

Do not cast me^(z) from your presence^(aa) or take your Holy Spirit^(ab) from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation^(ac) and grant me a willing spirit,^(ad) to sustain me.^(ae)

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,^(af) so that sinners^(ag) will turn back to you.^(ah)

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)

Open my lips, Lord,^(am) and my mouth will declare your praise.

You do not delight in sacrifice,^(an) or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

My sacrifice,^(ao) O God, is^[b] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart^(ap) you, God, will not despise.

May it please you to prosper Zion,^(aq) to build up the walls of Jerusalem.^(ar)

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.

For the director of music. A maskil^[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(a) had gone to Saul and told him: "David has gone to the house of Ahimelek."

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast^(b) all day long,^(c) you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?

You who practice deceit,^(d) your tongue plots destruction;^(e) it is like a sharpened razor.^(f)

You love evil^(g) rather than good, falsehood^(h) rather than speaking the truth.^[c]

You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue!⁽ⁱ⁾

Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and pluck^(j) you from your tent; he will uproot^(k) you from the land of the living.^(l)

The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh^(m) at you, saying,

"Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold⁽ⁿ⁾ but trusted in his great wealth^(o) and grew strong by destroying others!"

But I am like an olive tree^(p) flourishing in the house of God; I trust^(q) in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.

For what you have done I will always praise you^(r) in the presence of your faithful people.^(s) And I will hope in your name,^(t) for your name is good.^(u)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[b] A maskil^[c] of David.

The fool^(b) says in his heart, "There is no God."^(c) They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.

God looks down from heaven^(d) on all mankind to see if there are any who understand,^(e) any who seek God.^(f)

Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.^(g)

Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on God.

But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread.^(h) God scattered the bones⁽ⁱ⁾ of those who attacked you;^(j) you put them to shame,^(k) for God despised them.^(l)

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