Psalm LI

Lord, let thy mercy, full and free,
Vile as I am, extend to me;
And bid my numerous crimes remove,
All cancell'd by thy sovereign love.

"wash this guilty heart of mine,
For cleansing grace is only thine;
I own my sins, and still they rise
With recent horror to my eyes.

Against the God I love and fear,
My aggravated crimes appear;
'Tis this alone awakes my smart,
And fills with grief my fainting heart.

While humbly prostrate in the dust,
I own thy awful sentence just;
My soul adores thy sacred word,
For ever righteous is the Lord.

Soon as my infant life began,
And nature fram'd the future man,
So soon did sin its taint impart,
The dire contagion seiz'd my heart.

Since inward truth thy laws require,
That inward truth, O Lord, inspire;
Through all my soul let wisdom shine,
And give me purity divine.

O let the sacred hyssop prove,
Blest emblem of thy cleansing love;
Thy sovereign mercy can bestow,
A heart more pure than falling snow.

Let thy reviving word impart
Peace, joy and pardon, to my heart;
Then shall this broken frame rejoice,
And bless thy kind, thy healing voice.

Let all my sins, (though deep their dye,)
For ever in oblivion lie;
For ever blot the dreadful score,
And view the long account no more.

Create my inmost powers anew,
Make all my heart sincere and true;
O cast me not in wrath away,
Nor hide thy soul-enlivening ray.

Restore thy favour, bliss divine!
Those heavenly joys that once were mine;
Let thy own spirit kind and free,
Uphold and guide my steps to thee.

Then will I teach thy sacred ways,
With holy zeal proclaim thy praise;
Till Sinners leave the dangerous road,
Forsake their sins and turn to God.

O cleanse my guilt, and heal my pain,
Remove the blood polluted stain;
Then shall my heart adoring trace,
My Saviour God, thy boundless grace.

Then shall my joyful tongue proclaim
In grateful strains, thy glorious name;
Inspir'd by thee, my song shall flow,
And all thy wonderous mercy show.

If sacrifice would please my God,
My offerings should thy altars load;
But vain were all my offer'd store,
For blazing altars please no more.

This is the gift I would impart,
A humble, broken, contrite heart;
A broken heart, repentant sighs,
O God, thou never wilt despise.

O let thy goodness, Lord, appear,
To Zion, once thy chosen care;
Sustain'd and built by power divine,
Let Salem's walls distinguish'd shine,

To thee, the pious sacrifice
Accepted then shall daily rise;
Again the grateful offerings flame,
And glad devotion bless thy name.