Psalm 51

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgression.

2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I am conscious of mine iniquity; and my sin is continually before me.

4 Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

5 For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me.

6 For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom.

7 Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

8 Thou shalt cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice.

9 Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and remove not thy holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of thy salvation: establish me with thy directing Spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee.

14 Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness.

15 O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

16 For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given it: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings.

17 Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.

18 Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built.

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.

Psalm 51 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.