Псалом 50
A Cry for Cleansing
The psalmist confesses his deep-seated sinfulness and pleads for God's mercy and inward purification.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy; and according to the abundance of your compassion, cleanse me from my lawlessness. Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my lawlessness, and my sin is always before me. Against you alone have I sinned, and I have done evil before you, so that you may be shown righteous in your words and prevail when you judge.1 For behold, I was conceived in lawlessness, and in sins my mother gave birth to me. For behold, you have loved truth; you have revealed to me the hidden and secret things of your wisdom. You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; you will wash me, and I will become whiter than snow.2 You will let me hear joy and gladness; the bones you have humbled will rejoice.3 Turn your face away from my sins, and cleanse me from all my lawlessness.
The Sacrifice of a Broken Heart
The psalmist recognizes that God desires a contrite heart rather than external ritual sacrifices.
Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Don't cast me away from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and strengthen me with a sovereign Spirit.4 I will teach transgressors your ways, and the ungodly will turn back to you. Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, God of my salvation, and my tongue will rejoice in your righteousness.5 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will proclaim your praise. If you had desired a sacrifice, I would have offered one; but you take no pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifice God desires is a broken spirit; God won't despise a broken and humbled heart.6
Restoration of the Community
The prayer concludes by interceding for the restoration of Zion and the renewal of true worship.
In your good pleasure, Lord, show favor to Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be rebuilt. Then you'll take pleasure in righteous sacrifice, in offerings and whole burnt offerings; then they'll offer young bulls on your altar.
Read the original Latin
Поми́луй мя, Бо́же, по вели́цей ми́лости Твое́й, и по мно́жеству щедро́т Твои́х очи́сти беззако́ние мое́. Наипа́че омы́й мя от беззако́ния моего́, и от греха́ моего́ очи́сти мя; я́ко беззако́ние мое́ аз зна́ю, и грех мой пре́до мно́ю есть вы́ну. Тебе́ Еди́ному согреши́х и лука́вое пред Тобо́ю сотвори́х, я́ко да оправди́шися во словесе́х Твои́х, и победи́ши внегда́ суди́ти Ти. Се бо, в беззако́ниих зача́т есмь, и во гресе́х роди́ мя ма́ти моя́. Се бо, и́стину возлюби́л еси́; безве́стная и та́йная прему́дрости Твоея́ яви́л ми еси́. Окропи́ши мя иссо́пом, и очи́щуся; омы́еши мя, и па́че сне́га убелю́ся. Слу́ху моему́ да́си ра́дость и весе́лие; возра́дуются ко́сти смире́нныя. Отврати́ лице́ Твое́ от грех мои́х и вся беззако́ния моя́ очи́сти.
Се́рдце чи́сто сози́жди во мне, Бо́же, и дух прав обнови́ во утро́бе мое́й. Не отве́ржи мене́ от лица́ Твоего́ и Ду́ха Твоего́ Свята́го не отыми́ от мене́. Возда́ждь ми ра́дость спасе́ния Твоего́ и Ду́хом Влады́чним утверди́ мя. Научу́ беззако́ныя путе́м Твои́м, и нечести́вии к Тебе́ обратя́тся. Изба́ви мя от крове́й, Бо́же, Бо́же спасе́ния моего́; возра́дуется язы́к мой пра́вде Твое́й. Го́споди, устне́ мои́ отве́рзеши, и уста́ моя́ возвестя́т хвалу́ Твою́. Я́ко а́ще бы восхоте́л еси́ же́ртвы, дал бых у́бо: всесожже́ния не благоволи́ши. Же́ртва Бо́гу дух сокруше́н; се́рдце сокруше́нно и смире́нно Бог не уничижи́т.
Ублажи́, Го́споди, благоволе́нием Твои́м Сио́на, и да сози́ждутся сте́ны Иерусали́мския. Тогда́ благоволи́ши же́ртву пра́вды, возноше́ние и всесожега́емая; тогда́ возложа́т на олта́рь Твой тельцы́.
Notes
- 1 ↩The clause follows the Septuagint tradition: God 'prevails' or 'overcomes' when he judges.
- 2 ↩Hyssop is associated with ritual sprinkling and purification in Scripture.
- 3 ↩Literally, 'humbled bones'; the bodily image expresses profound affliction and restoration.
- 4 ↩The Church Slavonic phrase can describe a sovereign, governing, or willing Spirit; “sovereign Spirit” preserves its traditional theological force.
- 5 ↩Literally “from bloods,” a biblical idiom understood here as guilt for bloodshed or bloodguilt.
- 6 ↩The compact Church Slavonic construction is rendered as “the sacrifice God desires” to express that a broken spirit is the sacrifice acceptable to God.
Morning and Evening Prayers companion
A prayer for every moment, already on your phone
Chosen Portion puts a curated historic prayer in front of you each day — so the words are there before the moment arrives.
Chosen Portion is the digital descendant of the carried prayer book: the short daily prayers this collection preserves, delivered one a day to your pocket.
- One short, memorable prayer delivered daily — build your repertoire a card at a time
- Prayers matched to real situations: fear, gratitude, decisions, grief, sleep
- Save favourites into your personal pocket collection you can open anywhere