1 [[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 of David, H1732 when Nathan H5416 the prophet H5030 came H935 unto him, after he had gone in H935 to Bathsheba.]] H1339 Have mercy H2603 upon me, O God, H430 according to thy lovingkindness: H2617 according unto the multitude H7230 of thy tender mercies H7356 blot out H4229 my transgressions. H6588
2 Wash H3526 me throughly H7235 from mine iniquity, H5771 and cleanse H2891 me from my sin. H2403
3 For I acknowledge H3045 my transgressions: H6588 and my sin H2403 is ever H8548 before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, H2398 and done H6213 this evil H7451 in thy sight: H5869 that thou mightest be justified H6663 when thou speakest, H1696 and be clear H2135 when thou judgest. H8199
5 Behold, I was shapen H2342 in iniquity; H5771 and in sin H2399 did my mother H517 conceive H3179 me.
6 Behold, thou desirest H2654 truth H571 in the inward parts: H2910 and in the hidden H5640 part thou shalt make me to know H3045 wisdom. H2451
7 Purge H2398 me with hyssop, H231 and I shall be clean: H2891 wash H3526 me, and I shall be whiter H3835 than snow. H7950
8 Make me to hear H8085 joy H8342 and gladness; H8057 that the bones H6106 which thou hast broken H1794 may rejoice. H1523
9 Hide H5641 thy face H6440 from my sins, H2399 and blot out H4229 all mine iniquities. H5771
10 Create H1254 in me a clean H2889 heart, H3820 O God; H430 and renew H2318 a right H3559 spirit H7307 within H7130 me.
11 Cast me not away H7993 from thy presence; H6440 and take H3947 not thy holy H6944 spirit H7307 from me.
12 Restore H7725 unto me the joy H8342 of thy salvation; H3468 and uphold H5564 me with thy free H5081 spirit. H7307
13 Then will I teach H3925 transgressors H6586 thy ways; H1870 and sinners H2400 shall be converted H7725 unto thee.
14 Deliver H5337 me from bloodguiltiness, H1818 O God, H430 thou God H430 of my salvation: H8668 and my tongue H3956 shall sing aloud H7442 of thy righteousness. H6666
15 O Lord, H136 open H6605 thou my lips; H8193 and my mouth H6310 shall shew forth H5046 thy praise. H8416
16 For thou desirest H2654 not sacrifice; H2077 else would I give H5414 it: thou delightest H7521 not in burnt offering. H5930
17 The sacrifices H2077 of God H430 are a broken H7665 spirit: H7307 a broken H7665 and a contrite H1794 heart, H3820 O God, H430 thou wilt not despise. H959
18 Do good H3190 in thy good pleasure H7522 unto Zion: H6726 build H1129 thou the walls H2346 of Jerusalem. H3389
19 Then shalt thou be pleased H2654 with the sacrifices H2077 of righteousness, H6664 with burnt offering H5930 and whole H3632 burnt offering: H5930 then shall they offer H5927 bullocks H6499 upon thine altar. H4196
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 51
Commentary on Psalms 51 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 51
Ps 51:1-19. On the occasion, compare 2Sa 11:12. The Psalm illustrates true repentance, in which are comprised conviction, confession, sorrow, prayer for mercy, and purposes of amendment, and it is accompanied by a lively faith.
1-4. A plea for mercy is a confession of guilt.
blot out—as from a register.
transgressions—literally, "rebellions" (Ps 19:13; 32:1).
2. Wash me—Purity as well as pardon is desired by true penitents.
3. For … before me—Conviction precedes forgiveness; and, as a gift of God, is a plea for it (2Sa 12:13; Ps 32:5; 1Jo 1:9).
4. Against thee—chiefly, and as sins against others are violations of God's law, in one sense only.
that … judgest—that is, all palliation of his crime is excluded; it is the design in making this confession to recognize God's justice, however severe the sentence.
5, 6. His guilt was aggravated by his essential, native sinfulness, which is as contrary to God's requisitions of inward purity as are outward sins to those for right conduct.
6. thou shalt make, &c.—may be taken to express God's gracious purpose in view of His strict requisition; a purpose of which David might have availed himself as a check to his native love for sin, and, in not doing so, aggravated his guilt.
truth … and …wisdom—are terms often used for piety (compare Job 28:28; Ps 119:30).
7-12. A series of prayers for forgiveness and purifying.
Purge … hyssop—The use of this plant in the ritual (Ex 12:22; Nu 19:6, 18) suggests the idea of atonement as prominent here; "purge" refers to vicarious satisfaction (Nu 19:17-20).
8. Make … joy—by forgiving me, which will change distress to joy.
9. Hide, &c.—Turn from beholding.
10. Create—a work of almighty power.
in me—literally, "to me," or, "for me"; bestow as a gift, a heart free from taint of sin (Ps 24:4; 73:1).
renew—implies that he had possessed it; the essential principle of a new nature had not been lost, but its influence interrupted (Lu 22:32); for Ps 51:11 shows that he had not lost God's presence and Spirit (1Sa 16:13), though he had lost the "joy of his salvation" (Ps 51:12), for whose return he prays.
right spirit—literally, "constant," "firm," not yielding to temptation.
12. free spirit—"thy" ought not to be supplied, for the word "free" is, literally, "willing," and "spirit" is that of David. "Let a willing spirit uphold me," that is, with a soul willingly conformed to God's law, he would be preserved in a right course of conduct.
13. Then—Such will be the effect of this gracious work.
ways—of providence and human duty (Ps 18:21, 30; 32:8; Lu 22:32).
14. Deliver—or, "Free me" (Ps 39:8) from the guilt of murder (2Sa 12:9, 10; Ps 5:6).
righteousness—as in Ps 7:17; 31:1.
15. open … lips—by removing my sense of guilt.
16. Praise is better than sacrifice (Ps 50:14), and implying faith, penitence, and love, glorifies God. In true penitents the joys of pardon mingle with sorrow for sin.
18. Do good, &c.—Visit not my sin on Thy Church.
build … walls—is to show favor; compare Ps 89:40, for opposite form and idea.
19. God reconciled, material sacrifices will be acceptable (Ps 4:5; compare Isa 1:11-17).