Psalms

Psalm 51:1–5

¹For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba.

Have mercy on me,^a O God,

according to Your loving devotion;

according to Your great compassion,

blot out my transgressions.

²Wash me clean of my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.

⁴Against You, You only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in Your sight,

so that You may be proved right when You speak

and blameless when You judge.^b

⁵Surely I was brought forth in iniquity;

I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

Footnotes

a 51:1 Or Be gracious to me
b 51:4 LXX and victorious when You judge; cited in Romans 3:4|ROM 3:4

Read all of Psalm 51

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 51:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
A Psalm	מִזְמ֥וֹר	miz·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H4210 melody
of David	לְדָוִֽד׃	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
When Nathan	נָתָ֣ן	nā·ṯān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5416 Nathan
the prophet	הַנָּבִ֑יא	han·nā·ḇî	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5030 spokesman, speaker, prophet
came	בְּֽבוֹא־	bə·ḇō·w-	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to him	אֵ֭לָיו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
after	כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־	ka·’ă·šer-	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
his adultery	בָּ֝֗א	bā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
with	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Bathsheba	שָֽׁבַע׃	šā·ḇa‘	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1339 Bath-Sheba
Have mercy on me	חָנֵּ֣נִי	ḥān·nê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H2603 shew favour, be gracious
O God	אֱלֹהִ֣ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
according to Your loving devotion	כְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ	kə·ḥas·de·ḵā	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness
according to Your great	כְּרֹ֥ב	kə·rōḇ	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
compassion	רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ	ra·ḥă·me·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H7356 womb
blot out	מְחֵ֣ה	mə·ḥêh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H4229 wipe, wipe out
my transgressions	פְשָׁעָֽי׃	p̄ə·šā·‘āy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6588 transgression

Psalm 51:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Wash me clean	הַרְבֵּה	har·bēh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
of my iniquity	מֵעֲוֺנִ֑י	mê·‘ă·wō·nî	Preposition-m; Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H5771 iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity
and cleanse me	טַהֲרֵֽנִי׃	ṭa·hă·rê·nî	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H2891 be clean, pure
from my sin	וּֽמֵחַטָּאתִ֥י	ū·mê·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯî	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H2403 offence, penalty, occasion

Psalm 51:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I	אֲנִ֣י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
know	אֵדָ֑ע	’ê·ḏā‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3045 know
my transgressions	פְ֭שָׁעַי	p̄ə·šā·‘ay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6588 transgression
and my sin	וְחַטָּאתִ֖י	wə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H2403 offence, penalty, occasion
is always	תָמִֽיד׃	ṯā·mîḏ	Adverb	H8548 continuity
before me	נֶגְדִּ֣י	neḡ·dî	Preposition; first person common singular	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front

Psalm 51:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Against You	לְךָ֤	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
You only	לְבַדְּךָ֨׀	lə·ḇad·də·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H905 separation
have I sinned	חָטָאתִי֮	ḥā·ṭā·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H2398 miss
and done	עָ֫שִׂ֥יתִי	‘ā·śî·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H6213 do, make
what is evil	וְהָרַ֥ע	wə·hā·ra‘	Conjunctive waw, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
in Your sight	בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ	bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc; second person masculine singular	H5869 eye
so that	לְ֭מַעַן	lə·ma·‘an	Conjunction	H4616 purpose, intent
You may be proved right	תִּצְדַּ֥ק	tiṣ·daq	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H6663 be just, righteous
when You speak	בְּדָבְרֶ֗ךָ	bə·ḏā·ḇə·re·ḵā	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singular	H1696 speak
and blameless	תִּזְכֶּ֥ה	tiz·keh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H2135 be clear, clean, pure
when You judge	בְשָׁפְטֶֽךָ׃	ḇə·šā·p̄ə·ṭe·ḵā	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singular	H8199 judge, govern

Psalm 51:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Surely	הֵן־	hên-	Interjection	H2005 lo! behold
I was brought forth	חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי	ḥō·w·lā·lə·tî	Verb - Pual - Perfect - first person common singular	H2342 whirl, dance, writhe
in iniquity	בְּעָו֥וֹן	bə·‘ā·wō·wn	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular	H5771 iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity
I was sinful	וּ֝בְחֵ֗טְא	ū·ḇə·ḥêṭ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H2399 sin
when my mother	אִמִּֽי׃	’im·mî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H517 mother
conceived me	יֶֽחֱמַ֥תְנִי	ye·ḥĕ·maṯ·nî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular; first person common singular	H3179 be hot