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David wrote this psalm for the music leader.

It was when the prophet Nathan came to him, after David had sex with Bathsheba.

Please forgive me, Lord[a]

51 Please forgive me, God,
    because of your faithful love.
Because you are so kind,
    please clean away my sins.
I have done bad things,
    so wash me to make me clean again.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 51:1 David wrote this psalm after he had done something very bad. Then God's prophet Nathan came to David and he warned David. In the end, David was very sorry for the bad things that he had done. He asked God to forgive him. See 2 Samuel 11—12.
  2. 51:2 David knows that sin makes him guilty in front of God. It is like he is dirty, so he wants God to wash away the bad things. Then he will be clean.