Psalm 51, Giving thanks to God for rescue from oppression
interpretation - meaning - commentary - explanation
A Prayer of Repentance. To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
A psalm written by David after the prophet Natan admonished him about his shameful deed of adultery with Bathsheba and the devious plan by which her husband Uriah was killed along with other warriors.
(1) 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.
David, despite his sin, believed that God could still cleanse him, he did not lose hope and faith. God's love is so great that to a repentant heart God is able to forgive even adultery and murder, although as we read in the Books of Moses for such sins one could be stoned to death. God judges our heart and is able to forgive even the gravest offenses if we sincerely repent of sin.
This verse teaches us how we should behave in such situations. What would you do if someone took away your wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend? Would you be able to forgive?
(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.
The Israelites were under the law, they were supposed to keep the law, by breaking it they committed a sin against God. David submits to God's judgment, he knows that it is better to be under God's judgment nim human.
(5) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Human nature is sinful. This seems to be a failed attempt to justify himself from sin, but this is not the case. Reading other verses and psalms, more than once we will read how David admits his sins and does not burden anyone but himself with them. Here he states that everyone is sinful and so is he.
(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.
God loves truth and a good heart, even when it is hidden behind our sins. Adultery combined with murder obscured David's earlier good deeds so that they were pushed to the very bottom, but all is not yet lost. A merciful God cleanses us when we sincerely ask for it, He is not deaf to our cries.
Hyssop was used to cleanse the leper.
David asks for cleansing
(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.
After realizing how much he had sinned, he could not find joy, happiness, life became anguish. He wanted to enjoy life, but until he received purification, he could not live in peace. David asked to be completely cleansed for all his past transgressions, as they distanced him from God, and the separation was unbearable.
(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.
After such a grave sin, it was impossible to go on. The heart was so polluted that the king longed for a new heart, the one he had was too dirty, he longed for a change. He was afraid of rejection, he knew what happened to Saul when God took away his Spirit - 1 Book of Samuel "But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him" The despondency was so great that a zealous spirit was needed.
How to talk to God
(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.
Interesting verses from which we learn how to talk to God. During our requests we can say why we are asking for something. Here the arguments are as reasonable as possible and will not benefit the requester materially. We read about converting sinners and praising the Lord, can we use better arguments? Everything we do should be done for the glory of God.
(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.
The sacrificial system was never an ideal and could not be, if only because of the death of animals. God wanted a pure heart. From the point of view, of physical sacrifice, it was the Israelites who did their duty correctly, but from the spiritual side it was already a tragedy. God never wanted sacrifices to be made by people with a bad heart. Would you prefer a true friend who will tell the truth, even the inconvenient one, or a two-faced one who constantly pays compliments and, when you're not there, floods you with libels? You can read about God's preference for good deeds over animal sacrifices in Isaiah 1.11-18.
(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.
David at the end prays for good for all people, he knows that God looks at his repentant heart and will forgive him, cleanse him of his sins. Many psalms, in which we read about sorrow and sin, end with praise and rescue for the praying person. Despite the gloomy initial mood of the psalmist, there is faith and optimism in the ending, and so it is in this case.
By the way, it is worth mentioning David, who is put up as one of the human role models. It seems to some that someone who fornicated and murdered cannot be so exalted. King David sinned, as many of us do, except that this particular transgression had very negative overtones. David is praised for being close to God, recognizing his sins, admitting them, running to God for help, not hiding his sins, and understanding that only God could save him. He had the knowledge and faith to direct him to God, despite his sins his heart was with the Lord.
Reading this psalm, as well as others, we see what havoc sin caused in his heart. If each of us repented so much and asked for forgiveness, the world would be a much better place. As humans, we will not get past sin in our lives, it is inevitable, but it is important to, like David, sincerely ask God for forgiveness, to repent of what one has done, to believe that God will forgive us, to trust Him as David trusted.
