Ps 51 Observations

English Standard Version (Psalm 51)

TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN NATHAN THE PROPHET WENT TO HIM, AFTER HE HAD GONE IN TO BATHSHEBA.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,according to your steadfast love;according to your abundant mercyblot out my transgressions.2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,and cleanse me from my sin!3 For I know my transgressions,and my sin is ever before me.4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,and in sin did my mother conceive me.6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8 Let me hear joy and gladness;let the bones that you have broken rejoice.9 Hide your face from my sins,and blot out all my iniquities.10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,and renew a right spirit within me.11 Cast me not away from your presence,and take not your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,and uphold me with a willing spirit.13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,and sinners will return to you.14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,O God of my salvation,and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.15 O Lord, open my lips,and my mouth will declare your praise.16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;build up the walls of Jerusalem;19 then will you delight in right sacrifices,in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Few psalms have found as much use as this one among the saints of all ages, a fact which bears witness to the spiritual needs of God’s people. Psalm 51 stands as a paradigm of prayers for forgiveness of sins. Its superscription ascribes the occasion to David’s sin of adultery with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11), an incident in which David broke several of the Ten Commandments. Believers have been comforted by the fact that since David’s sins were forgiven theirs can be too.1

1 Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 832). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Few psalms have found as much use as this one among the saints of all ages, a fact which bears witness to the spiritual needs of God’s people. Psalm 51 stands as a paradigm of prayers for forgiveness of sins. Its superscription ascribes the occasion to David’s sin of adultery with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11), an incident in which David broke several of the Ten Commandments. Believers have been comforted by the fact that since David’s sins were forgiven theirs can be too.1

1 Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 832). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.