Psalm 51:3-13

3 Poiché io conosco i miei misfatti, e il mio peccato è del continuo davanti a me.

4 Io ho peccato contro te, contro te solo, e ho fatto ciò ch’è male agli occhi tuoi; lo confesso, affinché tu sia riconosciuto giusto quando parli, e irreprensibile quando giudichi.

5 Ecco, io sono stato formato nella iniquità, e la madre mia mi ha concepito nel peccato.

6 Ecco, tu ami la sincerità nell’interiore; insegnami dunque sapienza nel segreto del cuore.

7 Purificami con l’issopo, e sarò netto; lavami, e sarò più bianco che neve.

8 Fammi udire gioia ed allegrezza; fa’ che le ossa che tu hai tritate festeggino.

9 Nascondi la tua faccia dai miei peccati, e cancella tutte le mie iniquità.

10 O Dio, crea in me un cuor puro e rinnova dentro di me uno spirito ben saldo.

11 Non rigettarmi dalla tua presenza e non togliermi lo spirito tuo santo.

12 Rendimi la gioia della tua salvezza e fa’ che uno spirito volonteroso mi sostenga.

13 Io insegnerò le tue vie ai trasgressori, e i peccatori si convertiranno a te.

Psalm 51:3-13 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.