1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
<html><b>and my sin is always before me</b> Since I regret [my sin] and worry about it, it is as though it is constantly before me, always.</html>
<html><b>Against You alone have I sinned</b> Therefore, it is in Your power to forgive [me]. Even in my sin against Uriah, I sinned against You, for You warned against the matter. <b>in order that You be justified in Your conduct</b> like במנהגך, in Your conduct. I had the strength to overpower my evil inclination, but, so that they should not say, “The servant overpowered his master,”for I said to You (Ps. 26: 2), “Test me, O Lord, and try me,” and You tested me and I was not found perfect, in order that You should be justified and not I (Sanh. 107a). Another explanation: <b>in order that You be justified in Your conduct</b> If You forgive me, You will be justified in Your judgment against all the wicked who do not repent, so that they will not be able to say, “If we had repented, it would not have availed us.”</html>
<html><b>Behold, with iniquity I was formed</b> Now how could I not sin when the main part of my creation was through coitus, the source of many iniquities? Another explanation: The main part of my creation is from a male and a female, both of whom are full of iniquity. There are many midrashim to this verse, but they do not fit the context of the psalm. <b>conceived me</b> Heb. יחמתני, an expression of heat, as (Gen. 30:38): “And they came into heat (ויחמנה) when they came to drink.”</html>
<html><b>Behold, You desired that truth be in the hidden places</b> and behold, I confess to the truth, that I sinned. <b>in the hidden places</b> Heb. בטחות. These are the reins, which are smooth. Menachem (p. 97), however, associated it with (Gen. 21:16): “as it were a bowshot (כמטחוי קשת)”; and so (Job 38: 36): “Who placed wisdom in the inward parts (בטחות).” And their interpretation is an expression of drawing, for just as a bow is drawn, so is their yearning for knowledge. <b>and in the concealed part You teach me wisdom</b> And in the heart, which is concealed, You have taught me wisdom to confess.</html>
<html><b>Purify me with a hyssop</b> As one purifies the “mezora” and the one who became unclean through contact with a corpse.</html>
<html><b>Make me hear joy and gladness</b> The forgiveness of the sin. <b>the bones that You crushed</b> when You were wroth with me.</html>
<html><b>Create for me a pure heart, O God</b> so that I do not stumble again.</html>
<html><b>and do not take Your holy spirit from me</b> that the holy spirit should not be withdrawn from me.</html>
<html><b>Restore to me the joy of Your salvation</b> The holy spirit, which has left me. <b>noble</b> Heb. נדיבה, an expression of nobility and leadership.</html>
<html><b>I will teach transgressors Your ways</b> and they will learn from me. They will repent if they see that You forgive me.</html>
<html><b>Save me from blood</b> that I should not die by the sword as a punishment for Uriah, whom I killed.</html>
<html><b>O Lord, You shall open my lips</b> Forgive me so that I will be able to open my lips to recite Your praise.</html>
<html><b>For You do not wish a sacrifice</b> Because a sacrifice of a sin offering is not brought for a willful transgression. <b>or I should give it</b> For if You desired it, I would give it to You.</html>
<html><b>do good</b> to build Your Temple in its midst in the days of my son, Solomon.</html>