Psalms

Psalm 51:3–5

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

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.

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

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

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

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 51:3 Proverbs 28:13 · Isaiah 59:12 · Psalm 38:18 · Psalm 32:5 · Luke 15:18–21 · Leviticus 26:40–41 · Jeremiah 3:25 · Psalm 40:12 · Job 33:27 · Nehemiah 9:2

Psalm 51:4 2 Samuel 12:13–14 · Luke 15:21 · Genesis 20:6 · Genesis 39:9 · Romans 3:4 · Acts 17:31 · Revelation 16:5 · Leviticus 6:2–7 · Romans 2:5 · Genesis 9:6 · Psalm 50:6 · 2 Kings 21:6

Psalm 51:5 Romans 5:12 · Job 14:4 · Psalm 58:3 · Job 15:14–16 · Ephesians 2:3 · John 3:6 · Genesis 5:3 · Genesis 8:21

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.