Translation of Psalm 51 - A psalm for healing from sin

This year, as my church studied the Hebrew Bible, I started a regular practice of doing "translations" of the Psalms. Inspired by my dear friend Marissa Compton Jones', these translations are a response to Adam Miller's call to "translate these books [of scripture] again. Word by word, line by line, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, God wants the whole thing translated once more, and this time he wants it translated into your native tongue, inflected by your native concerns, and written in your native flesh" (Letters to a Young Mormon, 27). These translations then are not from Hebrew, but rather are my own renderings based on the KJV, and influenced by my own pondering and fear, worry and hope.

I'll be posting one each Sunday from now until Christmas, and including a little recording of myself reading my translation. I've found reading them out loud to be a helpful and meditative practice, and I hope that listening can offer you something too. Today's is Psalm 51; a slightly different version was published recently by the LDS women's project.

PSALM 51

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba.

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.

Psalm 51

A psalm for healing from sin

[1-2] Lord of love, have mercy on me. 

Your mercy is a deep river. Wash the

pettiness from me and 

wring me out to dry.

[3-4] There’s a lot to make up for. 

I’ve hurt people, and I’ve hurt You.

[5] I grew up in a world of violence, 

born into a society of many sins: 

cruelty, oppression, greed.

[6-7] But You don’t just want me to 

admit this truth, 

You want me to taste it. 

It will taste bad, like vinegar, but 

You will make me clean.

[8-10] Even when it’s painful,

Help me feel the joy of healing; 

Stay with me, and

make my heart do good 

for its own sake.

[11-13] Don’t leave me; 

Remind me of the 

joy in being saved and 

I’ll help others, people who are

still lost to greed and oppression,

to feel it too.

[14-15] I’m haunted by guilt; instead, 

let me sing a song of love.

Open my mouth; I cannot stop 

The song of Your love.

[16-17] I thought you wanted sacrifice, 

blood and fire;

But instead you want my heart, 

broken and listening.

[18-19] Keep our community safe.

Only in community will sacrifice make sense

and bring us closer to God.