A Prayer for Cleansing

51¹ Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. ² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin. ³ For I know my transgressions.
My sin is constantly before me. ⁴ Against you, and you only, have I sinned,
and done that which is evil in your sight;
that you may be proved right when you speak,
and justified when you judge. ⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity.
In sin my mother conceived me. ⁶ Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts.
You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

⁷ Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean.
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. ⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones which you have broken may rejoice. ⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all of my iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me. ¹¹ Don’t throw me from your presence,
and don’t take your holy Spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Uphold me with a willing spirit. ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways.
Sinners shall be converted to you.

¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation.
My tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness. ¹⁵ Lord, open my lips.
My mouth shall declare your praise. ¹⁶ For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it.
You have no pleasure in burnt offering. ¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. ¹⁸ Do well in your good pleasure to Zion.
Build the walls of Jerusalem. ¹⁹ Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,
in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings.
Then they will offer bulls on your altar.

A Morning Prayer of Trust in God

3¹ Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased!
Many are those who rise up against me. ² Many there are who say of my soul,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah. ³ But you, Yahweh, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

⁴ I cry to Yahweh with my voice,
and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah. ⁵ I laid myself down and slept.
I awakened; for Yahweh sustains me. ⁶ I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people
who have set themselves against me on every side. ⁷ Arise, Yahweh!
Save me, my God!
For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone.
You have broken the teeth of the wicked. ⁸ Salvation belongs to Yahweh.
Your blessing be on your people. Selah.