CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART, O LORD

Passage: Psalms 51:1-19

Key verse: 10

NIV

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.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,(AQ)
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.(AR)
19 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.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
  2. Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when (A)Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

51 (B)Have mercy on me,[a] O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your (C)abundant mercy
    (D)blot out my transgressions.
2 (E)Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and (F)cleanse me from my sin!

3 (G)For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
4 (H)Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil (I)in your sight,
(J)so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, (K)I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in (L)the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me (M)with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    (N)wash me, and I shall be (O)whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    (P)let the bones (Q)that you have broken rejoice.
9 (R)Hide your face from my sins,
    and (S)blot out all my iniquities.
10 (T)Create in me a (U)clean heart, O God,
    and (V)renew a right[b] spirit within me.
11 (W)Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not (X)your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will (Y)return to you.
14 Deliver me from (Z)bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O (AA)God of my salvation,
    and (AB)my tongue will sing aloud of your (AC)righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 (AD)For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are (AE)a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 (AF)Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
    (AG)build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in (AH)right sacrifices,
    in burnt offerings and (AI)whole burnt offerings;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 51:1 Or Be gracious to me
  2. Psalm 51:10 Or steadfast
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Against you only have I sinned (1-6)

David committed a despicable sin--he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed to cover it up. But when God's servant confronted him, he did not try to cover up his sin any more. He realized that he had sinned against God. He humbly repented. God is compassionate and loving. He desires truth, and teaches wisdom in the inmost heart. Repentance is true wisdom. May God grant our leaders such wisdom.

2. Cleanse me and I will be clean (7-19)

David repented, but he knew that he could not cleanse himself. He needed God's cleansing and healing. He could not fix up his corrupted heart, so he asked the Almighty God to create in him a pure heart. He longed for his broken relationship with God to be restored; he longed for the Holy Spirit, and for the lost joy of salvation. Then he could teach others. One cannot purchase forgiveness with money or good deeds; one must come to God with a broken heart.

Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

One Word: God accepts a contrite heart