Miserere mei

1 Have mercy on me, Lord, after
thy great abounding grace.
After thy mercies multitude
do thou my sin efface;

2 Yea, wash me clean from my offence
and my iniquity;
For I do own my faults, and still
my sin is in mine eye.

3 Against thee, thee alone, I have
offended in this case,
And evil have I done before
the presence of thy face;

4 That in the things that thou hast done
upright thou may'st appear,
And when thou judgest, all may see,
that thou art very clear.

5 In wickedness I formed was,
when I began to be;
My mother at the very first
in sin conceived me:

6 But lo! truth in the inward parts
is pleasant unto thee,
And secrets of thy wisdom thou
revealed hast to me.

7 With hyssop, Lord, besprinkle me.
I shall be cleansed so;
Yea, wash thou me, and then I shall
be whiter than the snow.

8 Of joy and gladness make thou me
to hear the pleasant voice,
That so the bones which thou, O Lord,
hast broken may rejoice.

9 From the beholding of my sins,
Lord, turn away thy face,
And all my deeds of wickedness
do utterly efface.

10 O God, create in me a heart
unspotted in thy sight;
Within my bowels, Lord, renew
a firm and stable sp'rit.

11 Cast me not from thy sight, nor take
thy spirit quite away;
The comfort of thy saving health
give me again, I pray.

12 With thy free spirit me support,
then shall transgressors be,
By my instruction and advice
converted unto thee.

The Second Part.

13 O God, that art God of my health,
from blood deliver me,
That praises of thy righteousness
My tongue may sing to thee:

14 My lips, that yet fast closed be,
do thou, O Lord, unloose;
The praises of thy Majesty
my mouth shall then disclose.

15 I would have offer'd sacrifice,
if that had pleased thee;
But pleased with burnt-offerings
I know thou wilt not be:

16 A spirit griev'd is sacrifice
delightful in thine eyes;
A broken and a contrite heart,
Lord, thou wilt not despise.

17 In thy good will deal gently, Lord,
with Sion, and withal
Grant that of thy Jerusalem
uprear'd may be the wall:

18 Burnt-offerings, gifts, and sacrifice
of justice in that day,
Thou shalt accept, and calves they shall
upon thy altar lay.

Source: The Whole Book of Psalms #LIb