Psalm 51:1-10

1 God, be merciful to me because you are loving. Because you are always ready to be merciful, wipe out all my wrongs.

2 Wash away all my guilt and make me clean again.

3 I know about my wrongs, and I can't forget my sin.

4 You are the only one I have sinned against; I have done what you say is wrong. You are right when you speak and fair when you judge.

5 I was brought into this world in sin. In sin my mother gave birth to me.

6 You want me to be completely truthful, so teach me wisdom.

7 Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you crushed be happy again.

9 Turn your face from my sins and wipe out all my guilt.

10 Create in me a pure heart, God, and make my spirit right again.

Psalm 51:1-10 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.