Psalms 51:15

15 O Lord, let my lips be open, so that my mouth may make clear your praise.

Psalms 51:15 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 51:15

O Lord, open thou my lips
The Targum adds, "in the late"; which were shut with a sense of sin, with shame of it, and sorrow for it; and though they were in some measure opened in prayer to God for the forgiveness of it, as appears by various petitions in this psalm, yet he still wanted a free spirit and boldness at the throne of grace, which the believer has when his heart is sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ; and especially his lips were shut as to praise and thanksgiving; the guilt of sin had sealed up his lips, that he could not sing the praises of God as he had formerly done; and only a discovery of pardoning grace could open them, and for this he prays:

and my mouth shall show forth thy praise:
the praise of his mercy, grace, goodness, truth, and faithfulness, in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; see ( Psalms 103:1-3 ) .

Psalms 51:15 In-Context

13 Then will I make your ways clear to wrongdoers; and sinners will be turned to you.
14 Be my saviour from violent death, O God, the God of my salvation; and my tongue will give praise to your righteousness.
15 O Lord, let my lips be open, so that my mouth may make clear your praise.
16 You have no desire for an offering or I would give it; you have no delight in burned offerings.
17 The offerings of God are a broken spirit; a broken and sorrowing heart, O God, you will not put from you.
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