The psalms are meant to be sung! Read the article “Singing the Psalms: Recovering the Church’s God-Inspired Hymnbook.”
Original Metrical Setting of Psalm 51:1–17
Sing to the tune Morecambe (Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart). Sung every year on Ash Wednesday (verses 1–17); Year B, Fifth Sunday of Lent (verses 1–12 only). David wrote Psalm 51 after committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering her husband Uriah. Jesus fulfilled Psalm 51 by providing an atonement that avails for even the worst sinners and provides cleansing deep within. The last two verses, which provide a Christological reflection on the psalm and an adaptation of the Gloria Patri, may be omit
Have mercy on me, in your steadfast love;
In your great mercy, blot out all my sins;
Wash me and cleanse me from iniquity,
From my transgression save and set me free.
I am forever conscious of my sin,
I know I’ve done what’s evil in your sight;
Against you only have I done this wrong,
Your words and judgment are against me just.
From the first moment that I was conceived,
My heart was sinful, selfish, and corrupt,
You, Lord, want truth within my deepest self,
You teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I’ll be whiter than the snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness deep within,
Let the bones that you’ve broken now rejoice.
Hide your face from my great iniquity,
Cover my guilt and wipe away my wrongs,
Create in me a clean heart, O my God,
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
From your sweet presence, do not banish me,
The Holy Spirit—take him not away,
Restore to me the joy of saving grace,
And make me strong and eager to obey.
Then I’ll teach sinners all about your ways,
They will return and put their trust in you,
God of salvation, cleanse me of blood-guilt,
And I will sing of your great righteousness.
Open my lips, O Lord, I’ll sound your praise;
For you do not delight in sacrifice.
A broken spirit and a contrite heart—
These sacrifices you will not despise.
As blood and water from the hyssop plant,
Was sprinkled on the sinful and impure,
Christ from his side poured out a healing stream,
To blot out all our sins and cleanse our heart.
Glory be to the Father and the Son,
And to the Spirit—blessed three in one;
As it was then, is now, and e’er shall be;
We’ll dwell with you for all eternity.
Other Metrical Settings
- Seedbed (Tennents) Metrical Psalter with Audio (see also the book) — easily sung by congregations (see the video below)
- Genevan Psalter
- Readhead Tune, Scottish Festival Singers
- Ottawa Tune, St. Peter’s Free Church, a capella
- Scottish Metrical Psalter, St. Kilda
Chants
- [Recommended] St. Bernard Breviary — the Daily Office of the 2019 BCP with simple chant tones; see the “Chant Helps” page of the Breviary website with an audio example of Psalms 50–52 being chanted; see also the video below with a demonstration of Psalm 51:1–17 (the selection for Ash Wednesday)
- Theopolis Liturgy and Psalter
- Gregorian Chant (Neumes and Tunes)
- Orthodox Chant
