_HAVE MERCY UPON ME, O GOD, ACCORDING TO THY LOVINGKINDNESS: ACCORDING UNTO THE MULTITUDE OF THY TENDER MERCIES BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRESSIONS._ Psalms 32:1 was written AFTER this Psalms 51:1, before David's adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah. Since there he invites all to share with him the b... [ Continue Reading ]
_WASH ME THROUGHLY FROM MINE INIQUITY, AND CLEANSE ME FROM MY SIN._ Wash me throughly from mine iniquity - (cf. Psalms 51:7.) The Hebrew verb for "wash" is usually employed as to clothes х_ KAABAC_ (H3526); but raachats of the person]: thus (Numbers 19:8) the clothes of him who burnt the heifer, in... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR I ACKNOWLEDGE MY TRANSGRESSIONS: AND MY SIN IS EVER BEFORE ME._ I acknowledge my transgressions. Giving the ground on which his prayer (Psalms 51:1) rests-namely, "I acknowledge my transgressions." They who acknowledge their sin are in a receptive state for God's grace. So in the parallel psal... [ Continue Reading ]
_AGAINST THEE, THEE ONLY, HAVE I SINNED, AND DONE THIS EVIL IN THY SIGHT: THAT THOU MIGHTEST BE JUSTIFIED WHEN THOU SPEAKEST, AND BE CLEAR WHEN THOU JUDGEST._ AGAINST THEE, THEE ONLY, HAVE I SINNED, AND DONE THIS EVIL IN THY SIGHT. So in 2 Samuel 12:9; 2 Samuel 12:13, the sin, though externally agai... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, I WAS SHAPEN IN INIQUITY; AND IN SIN DID MY MOTHER CONCEIVE ME._ Behold, I was shapen - Hebrew _ CHOWLAALªTIY_ (H2342); literally, brought forth amidst labour pains. IN INIQUITY. In Adam the whole human race fell, so that his sin was propagated by generation; for as the punishment affects... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, THOU DESIREST TRUTH IN THE INWARD PARTS: AND IN THE HIDDEN PART THOU SHALT MAKE ME TO KNOW WISDOM._ Behold. The repetition of exclamation (cf. Psalms 51:5) implies the close connection of Psalms 51:5 -`My very nature, as that of all mankind, is tainted with sin, but thou desirest sincere r... [ Continue Reading ]
_PURGE ME WITH HYSSOP, AND I SHALL BE CLEAN: WASH ME, AND I SHALL BE WHITER THAN SNOW._ Prayer for forgiveness and for the Spirit. PURGE ME WITH HYSSOP, AND I SHALL BE CLEAN. A man ceremonially unclean (for instance, one who has touched a corpse) was 'purged' by the sprinkling of water, with ashes... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAKE ME TO HEAR JOY AND GLADNESS; THAT THE BONES WHICH THOU HAST BROKEN MAY REJOICE._ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice - namely, by my receiving from thy Spirit the inward assurance of that forgiveness of which Nathan has given me the outward. Dav... [ Continue Reading ]
_HIDE THY FACE FROM MY SINS, AND BLOT OUT ALL MINE INIQUITIES._ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities - namely, from thy book of remembrance, so as never to rise in judgment against me (Psalms 51:1).... [ Continue Reading ]
_CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD; AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME._ -Prayer for the Spirit fittingly follows his prayers for purification, complete forgiveness, and the joy of assurance. For the joyful sense of forgiveness is "joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17). The gift of the Holy Spirit... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN WILL I TEACH TRANSGRESSORS THY WAYS; AND SINNERS SHALL BE CONVERTED UNTO THEE._ -He promises spiritual sacrifices of praise, and efforts for the conversion of other transgressors, as the fruit of his being restored to the joy of salvation. For though works do not justify, the justified man is... [ Continue Reading ]