Psalm 50

The repentance and confession of David after his sin. The fourth penitential psalm.

Does this psalm differ from what you were expecting? Don't be confused. There are two systems for arranging the psalms: the Septuagint and the Masoretic. We use the Septuagint system here. In the Masoretic system, which is used in most modern Bible translations, this psalm is called Psalm 51, and the previous psalm is known as Psalm 50.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 Unto the end, a psalm of David, 2 When Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had sinned with Bethsabee. [2 Samuel 12.]

3 Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.
4 Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
5 For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.
6 To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words, and mayst overcome when thou art judged.
7 For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.
8 For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.
9 Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
10 To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.
11 Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
12 Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.
13 Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
14 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.
15 I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.
16 Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.
17 O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.
18 For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.
19 A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
20 Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.
21 Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 In finem. Psalmus David, 2 cum venit ad eum Nathan propheta, quando intravit ad Bethsabee.

3 Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam;
et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam.
4 Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea,
et a peccato meo munda me.
5 Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco,
et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
6 Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci;
ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis,
et vincas cum judicaris.
7 Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum,
et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.
8 Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti;
incerta et occulta sapientiæ tuæ manifestasti mihi.
9 Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor;
lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
10 Auditui meo dabis gaudium et lætitiam,
et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.
11 Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis,
et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
12 Cor mundum crea in me, Deus,
et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.
13 Ne projicias me a facie tua,
et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
14 Redde mihi lætitiam salutaris tui,
et spiritu principali confirma me.
15 Docebo iniquos vias tuas,
et impii ad te convertentur.
16 Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meæ,
et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam.
17 Domine, labia mea aperies,
et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
18 Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique;
holocaustis non delectaberis.
19 Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus;
cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.
20 Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion,
ut ædificentur muri Jerusalem.
21 Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiæ, oblationes et holocausta;
tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition