Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
(2 Samuel 12:1–12)

לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ (For the one directing). מִזְמ֥וֹר (A Psalm) לְדָוִֽד׃ (of David), בְּֽבוֹא־ (in the coming) אֵ֭לָיו (to him) נָתָ֣ן (of Nathan) הַנָּבִ֑יא (the prophet) כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־ (after that) בָּ֝֗א (he had gone in) אֶל־ (to) בַּת־ (Bath-) שָֽׁבַע׃ (sheba).

1חָנֵּ֣נִי (Have mercy on me) אֱלֹהִ֣ים (O God),

כְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ (according to Your loving devotion);

כְּרֹ֥ב (according to the abundance) רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ (of Your compassion),

מְחֵ֣ה (wipe out) פְשָׁעָֽי׃ (my transgressions).

2  הַרְבֵּה (Thoroughly), כַּבְּסֵ֣נִי (Wash me) מֵעֲוֺנִ֑י (from my iniquity),

וּֽמֵחַטָּאתִ֥י (and from my sin) טַהֲרֵֽנִי׃ (cleanse me).

3  כִּֽי־ (For) פְ֭שָׁעַי (my transgressions) אֲנִ֣י (I) אֵדָ֑ע (know),

וְחַטָּאתִ֖י (and my sin) נֶגְדִּ֣י (is before me) תָמִֽיד׃ (continually).

4  לְךָ֤ (Against You), לְבַדְּךָ֨׀ (You alone), חָטָאתִי֮ (have I sinned),

וְהָרַ֥ע (the evil) בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ (in your eyes) עָ֫שִׂ֥יתִי (I have done),

לְ֭מַעַן (so that) תִּצְדַּ֥ק (You are right) בְּדָבְרֶ֗ךָ (when You speak);

תִּזְכֶּ֥ה (and You are pure) בְשָׁפְטֶֽךָ׃ (when You judge).

5  הֵן־ (Behold), בְּעָו֥וֹן (in iniquity) חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי (I was brought forth),

וּ֝בְחֵ֗טְא (and in sin) יֶֽחֱמַ֥תְנִי (conceived me) אִמִּֽי׃ (my mother).

6  הֵן־ (Behold), אֱ֭מֶת (in truth) חָפַ֣צְתָּ (You take delight) בַטֻּח֑וֹת (in the inner parts);

וּ֝בְסָתֻ֗ם (in the inmost place) חָכְמָ֥ה (wisdom) תוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ (You teach me).

7  תְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִי (Cleanse my sin) בְאֵז֣וֹב (with hyssop), וְאֶטְהָ֑ר (and I will be clean);

תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִי (wash me), וּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶג (and than snow) אַלְבִּֽין׃ (and I will be whiter).

8  תַּ֭שְׁמִיעֵנִי (Make me hear) שָׂשׂ֣וֹן (joy) וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה (and gladness);

תָּ֝גֵ֗לְנָה (may they rejoice) עֲצָמ֥וֹת (the bones) דִּכִּֽיתָ׃ (You have crushed).

9  הַסְתֵּ֣ר (Hide) פָּ֭נֶיךָ (Your face) מֵחֲטָאָ֑י (from my sins),

וְֽכָל־ (and all) עֲוֺ֖נֹתַ֣י (my iniquities) מְחֵֽה׃ (may You wipe out).

10  לֵ֣ב (A heart) טָ֭הוֹר (clean) בְּרָא־ (may You create) לִ֣י (in me), אֱלֹהִ֑ים (O God),

וְר֥וּחַ (and a spirit) נָ֝כ֗וֹן (right) חַדֵּ֥שׁ (renew) בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃ (within me).

11  אַל־ (Do not) תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי (cast me away) מִלְּפָנֶ֑יךָ (from before Your face),

וְר֥וּחַ (and the Spirit) קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ (of Your Holiness) אַל־ (do not) תִּקַּ֥ח (take away) מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ (from me).

12  הָשִׁ֣יבָה (Restore) לִּ֭י (to me) שְׂשׂ֣וֹן (the joy) יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ (of Your salvation),

וְר֖וּחַ (and by a spirit) נְדִיבָ֣ה (willing) תִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃ (uphold me).

13  אֲלַמְּדָ֣ה (I will teach) פֹשְׁעִ֣ים (transgressors) דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ (Your ways),

וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים (and sinners) אֵלֶ֥יךָ (to You) יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃ (will return).

14  הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי (Deliver me) מִדָּמִ֨ים׀ (from bloodguilt), אֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים (O God),

אֱלֹהֵ֥י (the God) תְּשׁוּעָתִ֑י (of my salvation);

תְּרַנֵּ֥ן (will sing) לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י (my tongue) צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃ (of Your righteousness).

15  אֲ֭דֹנָי (O Lord), שְׂפָתַ֣י (my lips) תִּפְתָּ֑ח (open),

וּ֝פִ֗י (and my mouth) יַגִּ֥יד (will declare) תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃ (Your praise).

16  כִּ֤י׀ (For) לֹא־ (not) תַחְפֹּ֣ץ (You do delight in) זֶ֣בַח (sacrifice), וְאֶתֵּ֑נָה (or I would give it);

ע֝וֹלָ֗ה (with a burnt offering) לֹ֣א (not) תִרְצֶֽה׃ (are You pleased).

17  זִֽבְחֵ֣י (The sacrifices) אֱלֹהִים֮ (of God) ר֪וּחַ (are a spirit) נִשְׁבָּ֫רָ֥ה (broken);

לֵב־ (a heart) נִשְׁבָּ֥ר (broken) וְנִדְכֶּ֑ה (and crushed),

אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים (O God), לֹ֣א (not) תִבְזֶֽה׃ (will You despise).

18  הֵיטִ֣יבָה (Do good) בִ֭רְצוֹנְךָ (by Your pleasure) אֶת־ (-) צִיּ֑וֹן (to Zion);

תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה (may You build up) חוֹמ֥וֹת (the walls) יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (of Jerusalem).

19  אָ֤ז (Then) תַּחְפֹּ֣ץ (You will delight) זִבְחֵי־ (with the sacrifices) צֶ֭דֶק (of righteousness),

עוֹלָ֣ה (a burnt offering) וְכָלִ֑יל (and whole sacrifice);

אָ֤ז (then) יַעֲל֖וּ (they will offer) עַל־ (upon) מִזְבַּחֲךָ֣ (Your altar) פָרִֽים׃ (bulls).