David wrote Psalm 51 after Nathan confronted him about his affair with Bathsheba, and it holds nothing back: “Have mercy on me, O God… wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” No excuses, no minimizing, just honest confession and a real request for a clean heart.
These thirty verses are for that same honest place, whether you’re the one who broke trust and need real repentance, or the one trying to figure out if forgiveness is even possible after this.
Pray these slowly. This isn’t a wound that heals on someone else’s timeline.
Forgiveness for Adultery Prayer
1. Psalms 51:1-2 (KJV)
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”
Prayer: Have mercy on me, God, according to Your unfailing love, wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from this sin.
Let mercy come from Your character, not from how well I’ve behaved.
2. Psalms 51:3-4 (KJV)
“For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 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.”
Prayer: I know my transgression, and my sin is always before me. Let me not minimize what this actually cost.
Let honesty about the harm done come before I ask for relief.
3. Psalms 51:7 (KJV)
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Prayer: Cleanse me, and I will be clean, wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let this be real cleansing, not just a legal pardon I still feel dirty under.
4. Psalms 51:10 (KJV)
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
Prayer: Create in me a pure heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Let renewal reach the root, not just the visible behavior.
5. Psalms 51:17 (KJV)
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Prayer: A broken and contrite heart You will not despise. Let me trust You won’t turn away from mine.
Let this brokenness be welcome in Your presence, not something to hide.
6. 2 Samuel 12:13 (KJV)
“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”
Prayer: Let me say plainly, I have sinned, and trust the same mercy David received right after saying it.
Let confession be that simple and that immediate.
7. John 8:10-11 (KJV)
“When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Prayer: Neither do I condemn you, You said. Go now and leave this life behind. Let me hear that same word.
Let freedom from condemnation lead to real, lasting change.
8. 1 John 1:9 (KJV)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Prayer: I confess this to You, trusting You are faithful and just to forgive and purify me.
Let confession lead to real freedom, not lingering shame.
9. Isaiah 1:18 (KJV)
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Prayer: Though this sin is like scarlet, let it be white as snow.
Let this exchange be complete, not partial.
10. Micah 7:18-19 (KJV)
“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”
Prayer: Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and delights to show mercy?
Let me trust You actually delight in offering this mercy.
11. Psalms 103:12 (KJV)
“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
Prayer: Remove this transgression from me as far as the east is from the west.
Let this distance be real, not something dragged back into every conversation.
12. Romans 8:1 (KJV)
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Prayer: There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Let that be true for me, without erasing real accountability.
Let freedom from condemnation coexist with genuine responsibility for the harm done.
13. James 5:16 (KJV)
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
Prayer: Let confession, honest and complete, be part of what actually leads to healing here.
Let honesty be the doorway healing walks through, not the thing avoided.
14. Proverbs 28:13 (KJV)
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
Prayer: Let me not conceal what happened, but confess and turn from it, so I can find real mercy.
Let confession replace whatever’s still being hidden.
15. Psalms 32:1-2 (KJV)
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”
Prayer: Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Let me actually feel blessed by this, not just informed of it.
16. Malachi 2:14 (KJV)
“Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.”
Prayer: Let me take this covenant as seriously as You do, honoring what marriage was actually meant to be.
Let reverence for this commitment guide whatever comes next.
17. Colossians 3:13 (KJV)
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
Prayer: Let me bear with whoever wronged me, and forgive, the way You forgave me, if and when I’m ready.
Let forgiveness come in its own real time, not forced before it’s genuine.
18. Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Prayer: Let me be kind and compassionate, forgiving, just as You forgave me.
Let forgiveness I’ve received become a model, not a demand placed on me too soon.
19. Psalms 130:3-4 (KJV)
“If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”
Prayer: If You kept a record of sins, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness.
Let reverence for You grow from this forgiveness, not fear of punishment.
20. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Prayer: Let there be a real new creation here, the old fully gone, something new actually come.
Let new mean new, not just a fresh start layered over old patterns.
21. Galatians 6:1 (KJV)
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
Prayer: Let anyone walking through this be restored gently, watching their own heart, not standing in judgment.
Let gentleness mark how this whole situation is handled by everyone involved.
22. Isaiah 43:25 (KJV)
“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
Prayer: You blot out my transgressions for Your own sake, and remember my sins no more.
Let forgetting be real, not just a figure of speech.
23. Psalms 34:18 (KJV)
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Prayer: You are close to the brokenhearted. Be close to everyone this has hurt.
Let nearness reach both the one who sinned and the one sinned against.
24. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Prayer: Let me humble myself and pray and seek Your face, turning from what needs turning from.
Let humility come before anything else this healing needs.
25. Romans 3:23-24 (KJV)
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”
Prayer: I have fallen short, but I’m justified freely by Your grace through the redemption in Christ.
Let freely mean freely, not something I need to work off first.
26. Psalms 86:5 (KJV)
“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”
Prayer: You are good and forgiving, abounding in love to all who call on You.
Let forgiveness already be standing ready before I even finish asking.
27. Hebrews 8:12 (KJV)
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
Prayer: You forgive wickedness and remember sins no more.
Let this be final in Your eyes, whatever the road ahead looks like on earth.
28. 1 Corinthians 13:7 (KJV)
“Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
Prayer: Let love, if it’s still here, protect, trust, hope, and persevere, even now.
Let this description be a real possibility, not just words for easier seasons.
29. Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV)
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Prayer: Let forgiveness, whenever it comes, be real, not withheld out of self-protection.
Let me not let unforgiveness be what blocks my own peace, whenever I’m ready.
30. Psalms 147:3 (KJV)
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Prayer: Heal this broken heart and bind up this wound, however long that actually takes.
Let healing not be rushed by anyone else’s timeline but let it still be real.
Conclusion
David’s marriage and family carried real consequences long after that psalm was written. Forgiveness from God was immediate. What it looked like to rebuild trust with the people he’d hurt took much longer, and Scripture doesn’t pretend otherwise.
Let this process take the time it actually needs, whether you’re seeking forgiveness or working toward giving it.
For the ongoing work of healing a hurting marriage, a prayer for a marriage in trouble is worth reading alongside this one.