Psalm 51 — The Prayer of a Humble, Repentant Sinner

51 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 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.

5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

King David’s sins are notorious. He enjoyed being a son of Abraham and God’s anointed king under the Law of Moses. Despite all of the blessings and benefits, his fatal insensibilities under Satan’s influence threatened his life and the life of the nation of Israel. Lust of the eyes quickly led to adultery, which was exposed by Bathsheba’s pregnancy (2 Sam. 11). The plan to cover his own sins failed because of the integrity of the man he was trying to deceive. Desperate, David’s contrived murder of Uriah was his protected option as sovereign king.

Psalm 32:3–4 expresses David’s lament in the year following his treachery, “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.” Grace sent the prophet Nathan to free the king with the truth (2 Sam. 12). Psalm 51 is properly placed into the historical account at 2 Sam. 12:13a.

Psalm 51 is wholly a prayer. Poetically, it is an individual lament. Categorically, it is one of seven penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143). It serves as the entry point into the second collection of the Psalms of David (Ps. 51–70, excl. 66–67). Waltke and Houston’s The Psalms as Christian Worship (2010) have provided an account of its use in church history. David is the author and YHWH is the audience. The date of the events and writing of the Psalm are circa 1000 B.C.

The subject is repentance from sins, and the seeking of a renewed relationship with God. The message carries the necessity of atonement, through acceptable sacrifice, accompanied by the appropriate heart attitude. Forgiveness of sins and resulting joy are the benefits of a renewed spirit, brought by the mercy of God to a humble repentant sinner. This is not an unregenerate sinner’s prayer for salvation; but it is a saint’s prayer when sins have damaged his relationship with God’s Spirit. Nothing in the world can be right when God’s child is out of alignment with his heavenly Father. Psalm 51 is our corrective.

The title gives the setting for the Psalm from 2 Samuel 11–12 (Title). For the choir director suggests a liturgical use. A Psalm of David gives us the authorship. The setting of the Psalm is established by the title, like it is in Ps. 3 and elsewhere, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Writing Psalm 51 is certainly one way for David to fulfill his vow to teach Israel, by song, the lesson he learned through the mess he made (51:13–14).

David issued an appeal for mercy to erase his willful rebellion against Elohim (v. 1). Be gracious to me is in the imperative mood, “Have mercy on me!” O God, is the One who will have mercy upon whom He will have mercy. If in doubt, ask Him. According to Thy lovingkindness is the hopeful basis of the penitent’s plea, and it is the source motive of God’s gracious action toward His covenant people. There is no more prominent theme in the Psalms than YHWH’s lovingkindness. According to the greatness of Thy compassion is the second basis of David’s plea. For God so loved us that He sent His only begotten Son to enter our suffering, thus having compassion on us. Blot out my transgressions is what David needs. Blot out means to erase completely. Transgressions are willful rebellious acts against God.

David had soiled his body and soul, requiring the most stringent cleaning (v. 2). Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity complements his request regarding transgressions. Wash me is cultural imagery from the East, where garments are brutally beaten against the exposed rocks in a river to rid them of dirt and stains. “Thoroughly” introduces us to an all or nothing resolution. All sins must be removed. Iniquity is the twisting or perversion of the truth. We sin, and then we twist the truth of the circumstances. And cleanse me from my sin points to ritual purification because of inherited sin nature. David is saying that his sins are derived from his sin nature.

The southern steps of the Temple rise up from a number of public mikvehs (ritual baths). On the approach to worship, ritual cleansing from sin would symbolically allow the sinner into God’s presence in the Temple. The use of the first person singular pronoun (ie, I, me, my) should now have captured the reader’s attention. It is “me” and “Thee” in Psalm 51. Note the repetition and the emphasis. Sin is the third word in our hyponym triad (ie. transgression, iniquity, and sin — c/f Ps. 32:5). Sin is lawlessness. It is missing the mark. It falls short of the bar. David’s obvious sins are multiplied by less visible ones. The point is the scope. It is bad…very bad. The complementary triad (ie. blot out, wash, and cleanse) offers the remedy. The appeal demands his confession. Confession is the catalyst for cleansing (1 John 1:9).

David was self-aware of his sins, which relentlessly tormented him (v. 3). For I know my transgressions is a statement of self-awareness. Unregenerate man is deluded and unrepentant. Grace convicts the saint of sins. Conviction leads to confession, in which we must laud David for his immediacy. Nathan spun his story. David was angered by the offender, and Nathan confronted David as the offender. David promptly conceded. Grace convicts and grace humbles at the hearing of the Word of God. We know our sins. God knows our sins. When God confronts and convicts, we must concede. And my sin is ever before me shows how God exposes the evil of our cover up plots. Sin pursued and again enslaved David with incessant reminders of guilt. If David knew his offenses, he also knew whom he had offended.

David acknowledged his observable offense and submitted to YHWH’s just judgment (v. 4). Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned exposes the ultimate crime. Our sins often include others, but no one party could ever incur offense like God does. David has processed this truth, and he is convinced. And done what is evil in Thy sight points to the demonic influence behind sins. Satan loves for us to join in his rebellion against God. Evil is the manufacturer of sins, and we labor on the assembly line. God sees it all in His omniscience. His presence is everywhere and not one of our sins escapes His scrutiny. So that Thou art justified when Thou dost speak demonstrates David’s submission to God’s Word.

Humanity in rebellion will never concede to God the reality of His just judgment in punishing them for sins. Men go to hell bitter at God in life and bitter in death. David shuts his mouth and yields to the God, who is true, while every man remains a liar (Romans 3:4). The apostle Paul’s use of this passage reinforces God’s faithfulness in His judgment of faithless man. And blameless when Thou dost judge so that no man is permitted to critique God with the question, “Why did you make me this way?”

David did not stop with the confession of his sins but reverted to his sin nature rooted in Adam (v. 5). Behold means take a good long look at this argument and illustration. I was brought forth in iniquity is David’s confession on how far back up the river of life the pollution began. And in sin my mother conceived me is representative of the doctrine of original sin. Adam sinned and passed his newly manifested sin nature to all of his progeny. As God knit David together in his mother’s womb, Adam’s sin nature was invading David’s flesh and mind. The practice of sins is evidence of our deplorable sin nature. We are just like David. Paul said it best, “O wretched man that I am! (Rom. 7:24).”

David understood the inner purity standard and the necessity of grace to sanctify with wisdom (v. 6). Behold again something important to consider. Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being is a pointer to the void God is filling in His people. Truth is missing. God wants truth in our hearts. Jesus Christ is the truth of God (Jn. 14:6), and He has sent the Holy Spirit of truth to seal us and abode in us until our day of redemption. And in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know wisdom clearly states the work of God to open our hearts to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 16:14), the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24).

Step #1: know your sin. Step #2: know His wisdom (especially unto salvation). Sins are removed in the perfect sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross (Heb. 10), and wisdom is imputed in the righteousness of Christ by the Spirit (Rom. 4:5). God sets the standard (Law of Moses), and then He makes the provision for the standard to be met (grace and truth came through Jesus Christ) and applied to the church. The confession (vv. 3–6) here reverts to petition for forgiveness (vv. 7–9).

David counted himself with the lepers, needing a purging remedy and imputed righteousness (v. 7). Purify me with hyssop and I shall be clean has much imagery to accompany it. Purify me is like asking to be “de-sinned.” Make it like it never happened. The process has an instrument: hyssop. This sponge-like plant was used during the Exodus to apply the blood of the lamb to the lintels and mantels of the houses of the Israelites. It was also used for ritual cleansing en route to the Promised Land when the tabernacle was all packed up.

The ashes of a red heifer, mixed with water, would be soaked into hyssop and sprinkled on the sinful offender (Num. 19:16–19). Hyssop was also used under the law for the leper. The priest who declared the leper “clean” would take hyssop and ceremonially sprinkle the one who was made clean (Lev. 14). Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow expresses the need and the metaphorical benefit. The scarlet stain of sins is removed for unblemished purity. The death of Christ is the catalyst for both removal and renewal. The blood of the Righteous One cleanses us from all unrighteousness; and it is the imputation of His righteousness that justifies us before the just Judge.

David’s broken spirit longed for the return to the joy he once knew by God’s grace (v. 8). Make me to hear joy and gladness reveals the type of internal barometer for gauging the soul’s well-being. We can note here that every action needed in Psalm 51 comes by way of imperative verbs of request for God to do the work (ie. “Make me…”). Salvation belongs to the Lord, He will do it. Groanings, all day long (32:3), are replaced with rejoicing and shouts of joy (32:11). Let the bones which Thou hast broken rejoice seems like a paradox. God is the agent for breaking us. Broken bones immobilize us for efficient retrieval from our wandering ways (think Jacob at Bethel). Who will set me free from the body of this death? (Rom. 7:24) His judgments (broken bones are a metaphor for judgment) are true, and He chastens those He loves; therefore, let us rejoice for our salvation is nearer to us than we thought!

David requested God’s erasure of his sins and for YHWH’s inattentiveness (v. 9). Hide Thy face from my sins is also imagery. God’s face, especially when it is shining, is a welcome grace. When a child is in the throng of bullies, his father’s face is a powerful relief. Likewise, God’s face is not a welcome sight for the wicked. David is shamed and God will not smile on his sins. He asks YHWH to look away. And blot out all my iniquities is a repetition of terms using recombination. Erasure of transgressions (like shaking one’s fist at God) now includes iniquities (like bending something known to be straight). David wants them all removed and remembered no more.

David petitioned for a new creation and renewed power (v. 10). Create in me a clean heart is not a request for the renovation of the heart. Create (Heb. bara) is ex-nihilo like in Genesis 1:1. David is asking for a heart transplant. He wants the perfect heart crafted by the Master heart maker. His request is not just for a new heart, but for one that is clean. The thematic repetition: wash, clean, cleanse, purify informs us of our putrid state. What can wash my heart clean and keep re-washing it clean so that it is clean indeed? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

And renew a steadfast spirit within me again shows God’s handiwork in His people. Renew is a word proving this is no unregenerate reprobate praying, but one who has tasted the good things of God, lost them, and who wants them back. A steadfast spirit is one that is consistently remaining in the presence of God. Abraham had unwavering faith because his eyes were firmly focused on God, whose promise to author and perfect Abraham’s faith was worthy of trust. David was asking for the faith of Abraham, received as a gift from grace.

David requested a sustainable reunion with YHWH (v. 11). Do not cast me away from Thy presence (think of Cain) was a legitimate concern because that is exactly what happened to King Saul (1 Sam. 16:14). The difference was God’s covenant assurance for David (2 Sam. 7). The preservation of the saints is a glorious doctrine that assures the hope of believers because of the faithful promises of God’s Word, in that, “I will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5).” And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me was the fear of losing favor and benefits.

David also knew he deserved the death penalty for both his adultery and his murderous plot. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, and He endured the punishment. The Holy Spirit has rare references in the Old Testament (Is. 63:10–11), but His work is vividly seen in the New Testament. Still, David knew his power to do anything was entirely dependent on the presence of God’s Spirit in his life. This is true for the believer in Jesus, who Himself said, “…for apart from Me, you can do nothing (Jn. 15:5c).” The Holy Spirit is a permanent resident in the believer.

David appealed for grace to align his will to God’s will so deliverance and joy would manifest (v. 12). Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation is the real heart of the matter. God restores the believer into right relationship with Him. The prodigal son offers an “amen!” Joy is again shown as the test of the relationship. Paul captured so much of this process in Titus 3:4–7 (parentheses are all mine), “But when the kindness (think lovingkindness and compassion — v. 1) of God our Savior (Thy salvation) and His love for mankind appeared (Thy presence), He saved us (emphasis on He and His work), not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness (remember our righteousness is imputed to us from Jesus), but according to His mercy (“Have mercy on me! — v. 1), by the washing (“wash me”; “cleanse me”; “purify me”) of regeneration and renewing (key word) by the Holy Spirit (same Spirit David did not want to lose and we cannot lose) whom He poured out (sprinkling hyssop) upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior that being justified (declared not guilty by just Judge) by His grace (Be gracious to me) we might be made heirs (inherited righteousness from Christ) according to the hope of eternal life (blessed assurance).” Joy! Joy! Joy!

And sustain me with a willing spirit proves us unwilling in our sin nature, or David would not have asked for this power. Jesus Christ sustains us (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). Jesus was the One who said, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.” He is our example of a willing spirit, but He is also the only power to give us a willing spirit. David recognized his deviant will, like Adam and Eve, would lead him astray again. We are commanded to walk the straight way, but prone to wander, so the Spirit of Christ is our guide to lead us on the path of righteousness. We are instructed to walk by the Spirit (Spirit’s power).

David vowed to use his experiences of sin, grace, and forgiveness to educate others in the ways of God (v. 13). Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways reminds us of his sentiments in Psalm 32:8–11. The verb “teach” here can be translated “return” or “turn back.” Our reasonable service, in response to God’s grace in forgiving us of our mountains of sins, is to help others on the journey home to heaven through the swamp of sin. And sinners will be converted to Thee is the hopeful sentiment of every evangelistic heart. John Calvin adds, “We must never forget that God is able to crown with success our efforts at reclaiming the ungodly (John Calvin. The Psalms [Banner of Truth Trust: Edinburgh, 2009], p. 272).”

Conversion is a work of God, which is the product of the preaching of the Gospel (teach transgressors), which is also the Holy Spirit bearing witness to the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is all the grace of God! How wonderful that our degrading testimonies of sins committed are worked together for good by Him who has brought beauty from ashes. Glory to God for the privilege to testify of His wonder working power!

David asked for reprieve from the death penalty, promising to sing of His salvation (v. 14). Deliver me from bloodguiltiness is reflective of the death penalty, and worse, the eternal death penalty. Bloods (pl.) guilt was the murder of Uriah. He shed innocent blood, and the death penalty applied. Only God could deliver David from this crime. Sins merit death, and then comes the judgment by the just Judge. The sinner’s judgment is “guilty.” The guilty will pay for their sins in hell and the Lake of Fire, forever. David asked for deliverance from both of these in reality. O God, Thou God of my salvation indicates the application of salvation from “Thy salvation” to “my salvation.” My tongue will joyfully sing of Thy righteousness is again the vow of sacrifice to praise. Teaching is done in song in the didactic Psalms. “My tongue” is synecdoche for “my mouth.” Thrice repeated “joy” is truly a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). Righteousness, also repeated, shows us what God is requiring of His people. What is required can only be fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are implored to place our trust in His sacrifice for sins (Heb. 10). Sing a new song unto the Lord Jesus!

David petitioned for the privilege to praise God (v. 15). O Lord is not the covenant name replacement “YHWH;” but rather, it is Elohim, the title/name of the God. Open my lips shows further dependence on God for His grace to accomplish even our vows to praise Him. That my mouth may declare Thy praise is the end result of a heart right with God. David Dickson warns, “Howsoever proud spirits think that they can do any thing they please in God’s service, yet a humbled soul under exercise, knoweth that it is God who giveth both to will and to do of his good pleasure; such a man knoweth that the habit of grace is a gift and the bringing of the habit into exercise is another gift; he knoweth that when one hath gotten grace to will to praise God, he must have grace to put this will to act effectually (David Dickson. Psalms [Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, reprinted 1995], pp. 311–312).”

David knew outward forms of religion would never appease God’s displeasure (v. 16). For Thou dost not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it is a rejection of religious formalism (c/f Ps 50:7–15). God does not need our sacrifices, but He loves us enough to get our hearts right with Him. Thou art not pleased with burnt offerings points to failed propitiation. David could not in and of himself appease God’s wrath against him. God publicly displayed Jesus Christ on the cross as our propitiation for sins (Rom. 3:25). This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Communion with God without sacrifice was impossible, but blemished sacrifices offered from idolatrous hearts in religious formality would not work. God’s impeccable Son gave Himself as the Lamb of God in a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. The Spirit applies Christ’s blood to the elect of the Father, showing the sacrifices of God, not man, are acceptable to God.

David acknowledged God leading him through brokenness to genuine heart worship (v. 17). The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit demonstrates the inner value achieved. God is breaking the hearts of His people to conform them into the image of His faithful and true Son, Jesus Christ. We look upon the sacrifice of Christ (God) and it ruins us. Ambition and achievements are destroyed at the cross. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise is what God requires of us. The battle with sinful flesh continues until the flesh is dead (Rom 7). Repentance from sins committed is a return to the sacrifice of Christ at the cross. Christ is the acceptable sacrifice of God the Son, offered to and received by God the Father. The blood of the eternal sacrifice is forever being reapplied to cover our sins. The precious and never-ending flow of Christ’s blood is the price of our redemption. So costly, it breaks our hearts to sin against the One who loved us and gave Himself for us.

David humbly pleaded with YHWH to graciously strengthen Israel despite his human failings as leader of the nation (v. 18). Although commentators are inclined to fast forward to the post-exilic rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah, it is not necessary for us to go there. By Thy favor do good to Zion is putting grace at the forefront of all that is good for God’s people. David’s lament has brought a conclusive petition for God to extend the grace of forgiveness shown to him unto Israel. Zion is the symbolic name of Jerusalem (Ps 46–53). For God to do good to Zion means He is doing good to all Israel. The blessing of Aaron (Num 6:24–26) seems to echo here with the mention of YHWH’s favor.

Christians know there is no one good but God, and He has been good to send His Son to accomplish all of these things on our behalf and for our benefit. Build the walls of Jerusalem has a reply in Jesus’ promise, “I will build my church.” The Temple of the Holy Spirit on earth is being built up for eventual presentation by Christ to the Father. No one but Christ can claim the church as his own, nor can anyone but Christ claim the credit for building any aspect of His church. The Master builder receives all honor.

David acknowledged the reunion of inward and outward expressions of right worship by the righteous, as a reflection of Israel’s right relationship with YHWH, which produced joy and delight for both parties (v. 19). Then Thou wilt delight in righteous sacrifices is prophetic. When the righteous offer right sacrifices then the mission is accomplished. The righteous sacrifice by the Righteous One has been accomplished, but the blood must reach the mantel and lintel of every elect soul around the world and through history. Then God’s delight in communion with Christ and those in Christ will be full and satisfied. In burnt offering and whole burnt offering means the liturgy and the heart will perfectly complement one another, even as they do in Christ. Then young bulls will be offered on Thine altar is also prophetic of perfect sacrifice. The best sacrifices were young bulls, and they demonstrated the devotion that cost the worshiper something. Christians are reminded that the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins. Therefore, there was always something missing in the types of sacrifices that pointed to the day of fulfillment when God’s Son offered the propitiatory sacrifice that opened the way for communion sacrifices, especially the sacrifice of thanksgiving (Psalm 50).

In sum, we have the prayer of a humble, repentant sinner. King David is our example to look at in anticipation of seeing Jesus Christ. His petitions show us his hope in YHWH’s mercy, alone. His confessions show us our total depravity. His appeals reveal the grace of God as the only agent of permanent change made available to mankind. His vow to teach and to sing in the joy of God’s salvation reminds believers: to whom much is forgiven, much testimony to God’s grace is required. Let us go to the cross again today to receive His blood shed for us, and from there let us proclaim forgiveness in Christ.

David Norczyk

Lakewood, California

July 9, 2021