Psalm 51:10-19

10 Schaffe mir, Gott, ein reines Herz, und erneuere in meinem Innern einen festen Geist!

11 Verwirf mich nicht von deinem Angesicht, und den Geist deiner Heiligkeit nimm nicht von mir!

12 Laß mir wiederkehren die Freude deines Heils, und mit einem willigen Geiste stütze mich!

13 Lehren will ich die Übertreter deine Wege, und die Sünder werden zu dir umkehren.

14 Errette mich von Blutschuld, Gott, du Gott meiner Rettung, so wird meine Zunge jubelnd preisen deine Gerechtigkeit.

15 Herr, tue meine Lippen auf, und mein Mund wird dein Lob verkünden.

16 Denn du hast keine Lust an Schlachtopfern, sonst gäbe ich sie; an Brandopfern hast du kein Wohlgefallen.

17 Die Opfer Gottes sind ein zerbrochener Geist; ein zerbrochenes und zerschlagenes Herz wirst du, Gott, nicht verachten.

18 Tue Zion Gutes in deiner Gunst, baue die Mauern Jerusalems!

19 Dann wirst du Lust haben an Opfern der Gerechtigkeit, an Brandopfern und Ganzopfern; dann wird man Farren opfern auf deinem Altar.

Psalm 51:10-19 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.