Salmi 51:1-10

1 Salmo di Davide, dato al capo de’ Musici; intorno a ciò che il profeta Natan venne a lui, dopo ch’egli fu entrato da Bat-seba. ABBI pietà di me, o Dio, secondo la tua benignità; Secondo la moltitudine delle tue compassioni, cancella i miei misfatti.

2 Lavami molto e molto della mia iniquità, E nettami del mio peccato.

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

4 Io ho peccato contro a te solo, Ed ho fatto quello che ti dispiace; Io lo confesso, acciocchè tu sii riconosciuto giusto nelle tue parole, E puro ne’ tuoi guidicii.

5 Ecco, io sono stato formato in iniquità; E la madre mia mi ha conceputo in peccato.

6 Ecco, ti è piaciuto insegnarmi verità nell’interiore, E sapienza nel di dentro.

7 Purgami con isopo, 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 da’ miei peccati, E cancella tutte le mie iniquità.

10 O Dio, crea in me un cuor puro, E rinnovella dentro di me uno spirito diritto.

Salmi 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.