Psalms 51:5-15

5 Behold, I was 1brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire 2truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will 3make me know wisdom.
7 Purify me 4with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be 5whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear 6joy and gladness, Let the 7bones which You have broken rejoice.
9 8Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities.
10 9Create in me a 10clean heart, O God, And renew a 11steadfast spirit within me.
11 12Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your 13Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the 14joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a 15willing spirit.
13 Then I will 16teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be 17converted to You.
14 Deliver me from 18bloodguiltiness, O God, 19the God of my salvation; Then my 20tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, 21open my lips, That my mouth may 22declare Your praise.

Images for Psalms 51:5-15

Psalms 51:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. The occasion of this psalm was the sin of David with Bathsheba, signified by "going in to her"; an euphemism for "lying with her"; which sin was a very aggravated one, she being another man's wife, and the wife of a servant and soldier of his, who was at the same time exposing his life for his king and country's good; and David besides had many wives, and was also king of Israel, and should have set a better example to his subjects; and it was followed with other sins, as the murder of Uriah, and the death of several others; with scandal to religion, and with security and impenitence in him for a long time, until Nathan the prophet was sent to him of God, to awaken him to a sense of his sin; which he immediately acknowledged, and showed true repentance for it: upon which, either while Nathan was present, or after he was gone, he penned this psalm; that it might remain on record, as a testification of his repentance, and for the instruction of such as should fall into sin, how to behave, where to apply, and for their comfort. The history of all this may be seen in the eleventh and twelfth chapters of the second book of Samuel.

Cross References 22

  • 1. Job 14:4; Job 15:14; Psalms 58:3; Ephesians 2:3
  • 2. Job 38:36; Psalms 15:2
  • 3. Proverbs 2:6; Ecclesiastes 2:26; James 1:5
  • 4. Exodus 12:22; Leviticus 14:4; Numbers 19:18; Hebrews 9:19
  • 5. Isaiah 1:18
  • 6. Isaiah 35:10; Joel 1:16
  • 7. Psalms 35:10
  • 8. Jeremiah 16:17
  • 9. Ezekiel 18:31; Ephesians 2:10
  • 10. Psalms 24:4; Matthew 5:8; Acts 15:9
  • 11. Psalms 78:37
  • 12. 2 Kings 13:23; 2 Kings 24:20; Jeremiah 7:15
  • 13. Isaiah 63:10, 11
  • 14. Psalms 13:5
  • 15. Psalms 110:3
  • 16. Acts 9:21, 22
  • 17. Psalms 22:27
  • 18. 2 Samuel 12:9; Psalms 26:9
  • 19. Psalms 25:5
  • 20. Psalms 35:28; Psalms 71:15
  • 21. Exodus 4:15
  • 22. Psalms 9:14

Footnotes 8

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