Psalms — Chapter 51
For the leader. A psalm of David,
when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had come to Bathsheba.awhen Nathan … Bathsheba Cf. 2 Sam. 12.
Have mercy upon me, O God,as befits Your faithfulness;in keeping with Your abundant compassion,blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity,and purify me of my sin;
for I recognize my transgressions,and am ever conscious of my sin.
Against You alone have I sinned,and done what is evil in Your sight;so You are just in Your sentence,and right in Your judgment.
Indeed I was born with iniquity;with sin my mother conceived me.
bMeaning of verse uncertain. Indeed You desire truth about that which is hidden;teach me wisdom about secret things.
Purge me with hyssop till I am pure;wash me till I am whiter than snow.
Let me hear tidings of joy and gladness;let the bones You have crushed exult.
Hide Your face from my sins;blot out all my iniquities.
Fashion a pure heart for me, O God;create in me a steadfast spirit.
Do not cast me out of Your presence,or take Your holy spirit away from me.
Let me again rejoice in Your help;let a vigorous spirit sustain me.
I will teach transgressors Your ways,that sinners may return to You.
Save me from bloodguilt,O God, God, my deliverer,that I may sing forth Your beneficence.
O my Sovereign, open my lips,and let my mouth declare Your praise.
You do not want me to bring sacrifices;You do not desire burnt offerings;
True sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit;God, You will not despisea contrite and crushed heart.
May it please You to make Zion prosper;rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You will want sacrifices offered in righteousness,burnt and whole offerings;then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
✦ Connected Across Traditions
Divine Compassion & Mercy
Quran 1:1
“In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Luke 6:36
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Snp 1.8
“As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so should one cultivate a limitless heart with regard to all beings.”
Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 1
“One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred.”
The Path to Wisdom
Dhammapada 20:282
“Wisdom springs from meditation; without meditation wisdom wanes.”
Analects 2:11
“If you study the past and use it to understand the present, you are worthy of being a teacher.”
Tao Te Ching 33
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.”
Quran 39:9
“Are those who know equal to those who do not know?”
Good vs Evil / Light vs Darkness
Yasna 30:3
“Now the two primal Spirits, who reveal themselves as Twins, are the Better and the Bad, in thought and word and action.”
John 1:5
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Dhammapada 1:1-2
“Mind is the forerunner of all actions. If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows like a shadow.”
Bhagavad Gita 16:21
“There are three gates to self-destructive hell: lust, anger, and greed. Therefore, one must learn to give these up.”