Psalm 51

1. A song of David for the permanent music collection after Nathan the prophet showed him his sin with Bathsheba. Bend down to me and give me favor that I don't deserve, Supreme Judge. Treat me according to how great Your compassion is toward me by erasing the record of my revolt against You. 2 - 3 Clean me up from all my crimes, for I now recognize how I broke away from You - those thoughts stand out boldly in my mind. 4 You are the One I separated from and chose my 'good for nothing' way instead of Your will for me. I have finally come to agree with Your view about what I did. 5-6 Look, I was born with inherited tendencies to go the wrong way, yet Your goal is to permanently trtansform me from the inside so I can be truly wise. 7 Take away my wrong attitudes (which lead me to wrong actions) and then I will be right, pure and no longer contaminated. Deep clean me so I will no longer be filthy (contaminated like I just got back from battle). 8 Make me to experience Your joy filled welcome so that even what I had perceived as my strength - but which collapsed when in Your Presence - will spin around in a dance of intense JOY. 9 Don't look at my crimes (in other words, delete all my moral evil). 10 God, put into the very center of me (my heart) a clean spirit, right motives, positive attitudes - a new life. 11 -12 Don't throw me to where I can't see You or where Your life is taken away from me, but rather turn me to where I experience Your joyful welcome as Your liberating Spirit voluntarily embraces me. 13 That kind of experience will enable me to strongly encourage those who have broken away from Your just authority to return to You, and even guilty criminals will come back to Your will and way. 14 -15 You rescued me from my guilt of murder, O God of freedom, so I will shout and sin of how right You are - as You give me appropriate words to boldly describe Your real character and ways. 16 You don't want animals killed as a substitute for me, or I would do it. You aren't happy, either, to see their carcasses burn on an altar. 17 What You really want, Supreme God, is for me - bruised, collapsed and crumbing as I am - to come to You (and You won't scorn or despise me when I do come).
18 -19 Do Your beautiful work and express delight in the peace and protection You bring to earth. Then You will be pleased as I rightfully offer my whole mind and passion filled strength to belong to You and to do Your will.