create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit / a right spirit within me

Once we confess our sins, God forgives us of our sins and He also forgets them! To forgive literally means “causing it to leave” / “sending away” (Matt. 12:31; Rom. 4:7). When God forgives us of our sins, He forgives us of our sins because of the Lord’s blood which covers us and He also causes them to depart from us!