Salmi 51:10-19

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

11 Non rigettarmi dalla tua faccia; E non togliermi lo Spirito tuo santo.

12 Rendimi l’allegrezza della tua salute; E fa’ che lo Spirito volontario mi sostenga.

13 Io insegnerò le tue vie a’ trasgressori; E i peccatori si convertiranno a te.

14 Liberami dal sangue, o Dio, Dio della mia salute; La mia lingua canterà con giubilo la tua giustizia.

15 Signore, aprimi le labbra; E la mia bocca racconterà la tua lode.

16 Perciocchè tu non prendi piacere in sacrificio; Altrimenti io l’avrei offerto; Tu non gradisci olocausto.

17 I sacrificii di Dio sono lo spirito rotto; O Dio, tu non isprezzi il cuor rotto e contrito.

18 Fa’ del bene a Sion per la tua benevolenza; Edifica le mura di Gerusalemme.

19 Allora prenderai piacere in sacrificii di giustizia, In olocausti, e in offerte da ardere interamente; Allora si offeriranno giovenchi sul tuo Altare.

Salmi 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.