Psalm 51

Saturday's Daily Word and Thought Journal (By: Yusun Beck)

Psalm 51

""A Contrite Sinner's Prayer for Pardon.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1^(A)Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of ^(B)Your compassion ^(C)blot out my transgressions.
2^(D)Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And ^(E)cleanse me from my sin.
3For I ^(F)know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4^(G)Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is ^(H)evil in Your sight,
So that ^(I)You ^[a]are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.
5Behold, I was ^(J)brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6Behold, You desire ^(K)truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will ^(L)make me know wisdom.
7Purify me ^(M)with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be ^(N)whiter than snow.
8Make me to hear ^(O)joy and gladness,
Let the ^(P)bones which You have broken rejoice.
9^(Q)Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.
10^(R)Create in me a ^(S)clean heart, O God,
And renew a ^(T)steadfast spirit within me.
11^(U)Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your ^(V)Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the ^(W)joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a ^(X)willing spirit.
13Then I will ^(Y)teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will ^[b]be ^(Z)converted to You.
14Deliver me from ^(AA)bloodguiltiness, O God, ^(AB)the God of my salvation;
Then my ^(AC)tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15O Lord, ^(AD)open my lips,
That my mouth may ^(AE)declare Your praise.
16For You ^(AF)do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17The sacrifices of God are a ^(AG)broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18^(AH)By Your favor do good to Zion;
^(AI)Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then You will delight in ^(AJ)righteous sacrifices,
In ^(AK)burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar."

(Quoted from http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm)

This Psalm is basically asking for purification. The person is asking to be forgiven and to receive joy. He is asking for God's favor as we should all do.