REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION
Passage: Psalm 51:1~19  
Key verse: 10
Psalm 51[a]For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.(A)
1 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)
2 Wash away(G) all my iniquity
and cleanse(H) me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.(I)
4 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)
5 Surely I was sinful(M) at birth,(N)
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom(O) in that secret place.(P)
7 Cleanse(Q) me with hyssop,(R) and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.(S)
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;(T)
let the bones(U) you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins(V)
and blot out(W) all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart,(X) O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.(Y)
11 Do not cast me(Z) from your presence(AA)
or take your Holy Spirit(AB) from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation(AC)
and grant me a willing spirit,(AD) to sustain me.(AE)
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,(AF)
so that sinners(AG) will turn back to you.(AH)
14 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)
15 Open my lips, Lord,(AM)
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice,(AN) or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice,(AO) O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart(AP)
you, God, will not despise.
1 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)
2 Wash away(G) all my iniquity
and cleanse(H) me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.(I)
4 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)
5 Surely I was sinful(M) at birth,(N)
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom(O) in that secret place.(P)
7 Cleanse(Q) me with hyssop,(R) and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.(S)
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;(T)
let the bones(U) you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins(V)
and blot out(W) all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart,(X) O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.(Y)
11 Do not cast me(Z) from your presence(AA)
or take your Holy Spirit(AB) from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation(AC)
and grant me a willing spirit,(AD) to sustain me.(AE)
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,(AF)
so that sinners(AG) will turn back to you.(AH)
14 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)
15 Open my lips, Lord,(AM)
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice,(AN) or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice,(AO) O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart(AP)
you, God, will not despise.
Footnotes
- Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
- Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are
Cross references
- Psalm 51:1 : 2Sa 11:4; 12:1
- Psalm 51:1 : S 2Sa 24:14; S Ps 9:13
- Psalm 51:1 : S Ps 25:7; S 119:88
- Psalm 51:1 : S Ne 9:27; Ps 86:15; Isa 63:7
- Psalm 51:1 : S 2Sa 12:13; S 2Ch 6:21; S Ne 4:5; Ac 3:19
- Psalm 51:1 : S Ps 39:8
- Psalm 51:2 : S Ru 3:3; Jer 2:22; 13:27; Ac 22:16; 1Jn 1:9
- Psalm 51:2 : Pr 20:30; Isa 4:4; Eze 36:25; Zec 13:1; Mt 23:25-26; Heb 9:14
- Psalm 51:3 : Isa 59:12
- Psalm 51:4 : S 1Sa 15:24
- Psalm 51:4 : S Ge 20:6; Lk 15:21
- Psalm 51:4 : Ro 3:4*
- Psalm 51:5 : S Lev 5:2
- Psalm 51:5 : S Job 5:7
- Psalm 51:6 : Ps 119:66; 143:10
- Psalm 51:6 : S Job 9:4; S 34:32
- Psalm 51:7 : Isa 4:4; Eze 36:25; Zec 13:1
- Psalm 51:7 : S Ex 12:22; S Nu 19:6; Heb 9:19
- Psalm 51:7 : Isa 1:18; 43:25; 44:22
- Psalm 51:8 : Isa 35:10; Jer 33:11; Joel 1:16
- Psalm 51:8 : S Ex 12:46
- Psalm 51:9 : Jer 16:17; Zec 4:10
- Psalm 51:9 : S 2Sa 12:13
- Psalm 51:10 : S Ps 24:4; 78:37; Mt 5:8; Ac 15:9
- Psalm 51:10 : Eze 18:31; 36:26
- Psalm 51:11 : Ps 27:9; 71:9; 138:8
- Psalm 51:11 : S Ge 4:14; S Ex 33:15
- Psalm 51:11 : Ps 106:33; Isa 63:10; Eph 4:30
- Psalm 51:12 : S Job 33:26
- Psalm 51:12 : Ps 110:3
- Psalm 51:12 : S Ps 18:35
- Psalm 51:13 : S Ex 33:13; Ac 9:21-22
- Psalm 51:13 : S Ps 1:1
- Psalm 51:13 : S Job 33:27
- Psalm 51:14 : S Ps 39:8
- Psalm 51:14 : S 2Sa 12:9
- Psalm 51:14 : Ps 25:5; 68:20; 88:1
- Psalm 51:14 : S Ps 5:8; 35:28; 71:15
- Psalm 51:15 : Ex 4:15
- Psalm 51:16 : S 1Sa 15:22
- Psalm 51:17 : Pr 15:8; Hag 2:14
- Psalm 51:17 : Mt 11:29
- Psalm 51:18 : Ps 102:16; 147:2; Isa 14:32; 51:3; Zec 1:16-17
- Psalm 51:18 : Ps 69:35; Isa 44:26
- Psalm 51:19 : Dt 33:19
- Psalm 51:19 : Ps 66:13; 96:8; Jer 17:26
- Psalm 51:19 : Ps 66:15
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Source:  BibleGateway
To whom do you turn when you are made aware of your sin? David cried out to God for his mercy. He depended on God’s unchanging character – his unfailing love, his great compassion, and his desire to cleanse us from sin. Only God could wash David, make him whiter than snow, and deliver him from his guilt of bloodshed. God made cleansing from sin available to everyone through Jesus Christ. Turn to Jesus in repentance and he will cleanse you from your sins.
David also asked God to create in him a pure heart and for the Holy Spirit. He longed for God’s presence. He prayed for a restored relationship with God. Then he would sing praise to God and teach others to also turn back to God.
Prayer: Father, I am a sinner, but I praise you for forgiveness of sins and restoration in Jesus. Create in me a pure heart and restore the joy of your salvation. Help me to lead others to Jesus.
One Word: Create in me a pure heart.