Psalm 51 — Have mercy on me, O God

Have mercy on me, God, out of your great mercy; by the abundance of your compassion, wipe out my guilt. Wash me, and wash me further, from my wrongdoing; from my sin, make me clean. I am the one who knows what I have done; my sin is set against me and never leaves. It is you I have sinned against, you and no one else; the evil I did, I did in your sight. Create a clean heart in me, God, and make an upright spirit new in the depths of me. Do not throw me out of your sight; do not carry your Holy Spirit away from me. Give me back the joy of your rescue, and hold me up with a sovereign spirit. Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise. The sacrifice for God is a spirit crushed small; God, you will never look down on a heart broken and brought low.