Psalm 51 is an especially interesting piece of wisdom literature because the circumstances that inspired David to write it are so famous. Specifically, David wrote Psalm 51 after the fallout from his despicable treatment of Bathsheba. In a nutshell, David a married man saw Bathsheba bathing while he was walking around the roof of his palaces. Though Bathsheba was married herself, David wanted her. And because he was the king, he took her.
When Bathsheba became pregnant, David went so far as to arrange the murder of her husband so that he could take her as his wife. You can read the whole story in 2 Samuel After these events, David was confronted by the prophet Nathan in a memorable way -- see 2 Samuel 12 for the details.
Fortunately, this confrontation ended with David coming to his senses and recognizing the error of his ways. David wrote Psalm 51 to repent of his sin and beg for God's forgiveness. As we jump into the text, it's a bit surprising to see that David doesn't begin with the darkness of his sin, but with the reality of God's mercy and compassion:. Psalm These first verses introduce one of the major themes of the psalm: David's desire for purity. He wanted to be cleansed from the corruption of his sin.
Despite his immediate appeal for mercy, David made no bones about the sinfulness of his actions with Bathsheba. He did not attempt to make excuses or blur the severity of his crimes. Rather, he openly confessed his wrongdoing:. Verses Notice that David didn't mention the specific sins he had committed -- rape, adultery, murder, and so on. This was a common practice in the songs and poems of his day.
If David had been specific about his sins, then his psalm would have been applicable to almost nobody else. By speaking of his sin in general terms, however, David allowed a much broader audience to connect with his words and share in his desire to repent.
Notice also that David did not apologize to Bathsheba or her husband in the text. Instead, he told God, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. Instead, he rightly recognized that all human sinfulness is first and foremost a rebellion against God. In other words, David wanted to address the primary causes and consequences of his sinful behavior -- his sinful heart and his need to be cleansed by God.
Incidentally, we know from additional Scripture passages that Bathsheba later became an official wife of the king. She was also the mother of David's eventual heir: King Solomon see 2 Samuel None of that excuses David's behavior in any way, nor does it mean he and Bathsheba had a loving relationship. But it does imply some measure of regret and repentance on David's part toward the woman he had wronged. Have mercy.
The Hebrew word here translated have mercy. And it is made use of in Leviticus , where Noah is said to have found grace in the eyes of the Lord, that is, special favour, such as the Lord beareth to his chosen in Christ Jesus. Charles D. Coetlogon, A. Mercy , lovingkindness, tender mercies.
I cannot but observe here, the gradation in the sense of the three words made use of, to express the divine compassion, and the propriety of the order in which they are placed, which would be regarded as a real excellence and beauty in any classical writer. The first yngx , denotes that kind of affection which is expressed by moaning over any object that we love and pity -- that otorge, natural affection and tenderness, which even brute creatures discover to their young ones, by the several noises which they respectively make over them; and particularly the shrill noise of the camel, by which it testifies its love to its foal.
This denotes a higher degree of goodness than the former. And how reviving is the belief and consideration of these abundant and tender compassions of God to one in David's circumstances, whose mind laboured under the burden of the most heinous complicated guilt, and the fear of the divine displeasure and vengeance!
Samuel Chandler. According to the multitude. Men are greatly terrified at the multitude of their sins, but here is a comfort -- our God hath multitude of mercies. If our sins be in number as the hairs of our head, God's mercies are as the stars of heaven; and as he is an infinite God, so his mercies are infinite; yea, so far are his mercies above our sins, as he himself is above us poor sinners.
By this the Psalmist seeketh for multitude of mercies, he would show how deeply he was wounded with his manifold sins, that one seemed a hundred. Thus it is with us, so long as we are under Satan's guiding, a thousand seem but one; but if we betake ourselves to God's service, one will seem a thousand.
Archibald Symson. Tender mercies , or, according to Zanchy in his treatise upon the attributes of God, such a kind of affection as parents feel when they see their children in any extremity. There is reference here to an indictment: the Psalmist knows what it contains; he pleads guilty, but begs that the writing may be defaced; that a proper fluid may be applied to the parchment, to discharge the ink, that no record of it may ever appear against him: and this only the mercy, lovingkindness, and tender compassions, of the Lord can do.
Adam Clarke. What the psalmist alludes is not, as Mr. Leclerc imagines, debts entered into a book, and so blotted out of it when forgiven; but the wiping or cleansing of a dish, so as nothing afterwards remains in it. The meaning of the petition is, that God would entirely and absolutely forgive him, so as that no part of the guilt he had contracted might remain, and the punishment of it might be wholly removed. Blot out , or, as it is used in Exodus , utterly extirpate, so as that there shall not be any remembrance of them forever.
Isaiah Charles de Coetlogon. MY transgressions. Conscience, when it is healthy, ever speaks thus: "MY transgressions. Yours is your own: the violation of your own and not another's sense of duty; solitary, awful, unshared, adhering to you alone of all the spirits of the universe.
Frederick William Robertson. Verse 1,5. Rogers and others. Late preacher of the word of God in St. Edmund's Burie. By SAM. William Cowper, late Bishop of Galloway. Wherein euery faithful Christian may set before his eyes the Patterne of vnfeigned Repentance, whereby we may take heed of the falling into sin again. By the late faithful, and worthy Minister of Jesus Christ, Mr.
Exposition of Psalm LI. By the Rev. James', Bristol. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. One of my favorite aspects of this psalm is what David says he will do once he is restored. This is not a psalm that is just about his reconciliation from the sins he committed, but a story of his walk with the Lord.
Once he was back, he then would take it upon himself to go to and help others come back just as he did. He would then sing aloud the praises of the Lord God. When we sin and are reconciled, our story does not stop there. Perhaps we can even say that one of the reasons we are restored is to go out and restore others.
We should be guardians of one another in love, not letting those we love drift away from the Father. Sure, it many not seem all that wonderful during the process, but in the end it will make a world of difference. We should not only rely on that person to draw us back, but we should also be that person for someone else. Let everything be done in love, including any rebukes we must give. We stand against a strong enemy, but the power of Christ is stronger still.
In him we stand, if we keep in step with the Spirit. I love the OT, Psalms, Proverbs. I clearly now see how my Repentance and Confession has fallen short by my giving excuses, justifications, etc. May your web Posts continue to Glorify and bring Others to God.
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