Miserere

The penitential psalm of David

Psalmi 50Psalm 51
In finem. Psalmus David,1 לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
2 cum venit ad eum Nathan propheta, quando intravit ad Bethsabee.2 בְּֽבוֹא־אֵ֭לָיו נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֑יא כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֝֗א אֶל־בַּת־שָֽׁבַע׃
3 Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam
Et secundum multitudinem miserationem tuarum: dele iniquitatem meum
3 חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱלֹהִ֣ים כְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ כְּרֹ֥ב רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ מְחֵ֣ה פְשָׁעָֽי׃1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
4 Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me, 4 ׳הַרְבֵּה׳ ״הֶ֭רֶב״ כַּבְּסֵ֣נִי מֵעֲוֺנִ֑י וּֽמֵחַטָּאתִ֥י טַהֲרֵֽנִי׃2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity: and cleanse me from my sin.
5 Quoniam, iniquitatem meam ego cogno sco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper 5 כִּֽי־פְ֭שָׁעַי אֲנִ֣י אֵדָ֑ע וְחַטָּאתִ֖י נֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before
6 Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci: ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris 6 לְךָ֤ לְבַדְּךָ֨׀ חָטָאתִי֮ וְהָרַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ עָ֫שִׂ֥יתִי לְ֭מַעַן תִּצְדַּ֥ק בְּדָבְרֶ֗ךָ תִּזְכֶּ֥ה בְשָׁפְטֶֽךָ׃4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest
7 Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea 7 הֵן־בְּעָו֥וֹן חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי וּ֝בְחֵ֗טְא יֶֽחֱמַ֥תְנִי אִמִּֽי׃5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity: and in sin did my mother conceive me.
8 Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tua manifestasti mihi. 8 הֵן־אֱ֭מֶת חָפַ֣צְתָּ בַטֻּח֑וֹת וּ֝בְסָתֻ֗ם חָכְמָ֥ה תוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part, thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
9 Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbador 9 תְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִי בְאֵז֣וֹב וְאֶטְהָ֑ר תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִי וּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶג אַלְבִּֽין׃7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow
10 Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata 10 תַּ֭שְׁמִיעֵנִי שָׂשׂ֣וֹן וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה תָּ֝גֵ֗לְנָה עֲצָמ֥וֹת דִּכִּֽיתָ׃8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice
11 Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: et omnes iniquitates meas dele. 11 הַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נֶיךָ מֵחֲטָאָ֑י וְֽכָל־עֲוֺ֖נֹתַ֣י מְחֵֽה׃9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
12 Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis. 12 לֵ֣ב טָ֭הוֹר בְּרָא־לִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְר֥וּחַ נָ֝כ֗וֹן חַדֵּ֥שׁ בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me
13 Ne projicias me a facie tua: et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me. 13 אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי מִלְּפָנֶ֑יךָ וְר֥וּחַ קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ אַל־תִּקַּ֥ח מִמֶּֽנִּי׃11 Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me.
14 Redde mihi laetitium salutaris tui et spiritu principali confirma me. 14 הָשִׁ֣יבָה לִּ֭י שְׂשׂ֣וֹן יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וְר֖וּחַ נְדִיבָ֣ה תִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
15 Docebo inquos vias tuas: etimpii ad te convertentur. 15 אֲלַמְּדָ֣ה פֹשְׁעִ֣ים דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים אֵלֶ֥יךָ יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃13 Then will I teach transgressors thy way, and sinners shall be converted unto thee
16 Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae: et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam. 16 הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִדָּמִ֨ים׀ אֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י תְּשׁוּעָתִ֑י תְּרַנֵּ֥ן לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃14 Deliver me from bloodguiltness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
17 Domine, labia mea aperies: et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam 17 אֲ֭דֹנָי שְׂפָתַ֣י תִּפְתָּ֑ח וּ֝פִ֗י יַגִּ֥יד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃15 O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
18 Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique: holocaustis non delectaberis. 18 כִּ֤י׀ לֹא־תַחְפֹּ֣ץ זֶ֣בַח וְאֶתֵּ֑נָה ע֝וֹלָ֗ה לֹ֣א תִרְצֶֽה׃16 For thou desirest not sacrifice, else I would give it; thou delightest not in burnt offering
19 Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies. 19 זִֽבְחֵ֣י אֱלֹהִים֮ ר֪וּחַ נִשְׁבָּ֫רָ֥ה לֵב־נִשְׁבָּ֥ר וְנִדְכֶּ֑ה אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לֹ֣א תִבְזֶֽה׃17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
20 Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion: ut aedificentur muri Jerusalem.20 הֵיטִ֣יבָה בִ֭רְצוֹנְךָ אֶת־צִיּ֑וֹן תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה חוֹמ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion, build thou the walls of Jerusalem
21 Tunc acceptabis sacraficium justitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super alta retuum vitulos.21 אָ֤ז תַּחְפֹּ֣ץ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֭דֶק עוֹלָ֣ה וְכָלִ֑יל אָ֤ז יַעֲל֖וּ עַל־מִזְבַּחֲךָ֣ פָרִֽים׃
51 תהילים
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations; then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.
Amended with High C
Original

Words: King David 
Translation: Latin Vulgate & King James’s men
Music: Gregorio Allegri (c.1582-1652)
Adapted produced from Brian Russell’s score at cpdl.org
Original scored from Ben Malony’s pdf at cpdl.org
The copyright of this performance of the music is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 2021).
The midi files were produced using Noteworthy Composer.
The mp3 were produced using Myriad software.
Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex on Biblegateway