Psalm 51

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:17

The sacrifices of God, etc. We may call this psalm "the penitents prayer-book.' The spectacle of a good man falling into open sin is a sight to make angels weep, especially a man so distinguished as David falling into sins so gross and flagrant. We are ready to ask why a veil of silence was not allowed to hide this shameful example. This psalm supplies a twofold answer: the record of David's profound humiliation and bitter repentance is a warning to those who "think they stand;" his humble... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:18

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion . It is characteristic of David to pass from prayer for himself to prayer for the people committed to him, and especially to do so at or near the end of a psalm (see Psalms 5:11 , Psalms 5:12 ; Psalms 25:22 ; Psalms 28:9 ; Psalms 40:16 ). And he closely connects—nay, identifies—the people with their capital city (see Psalms 46:4 ; Psalms 48:11 ; Psalms 69:35 , etc.). Build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Josephus says that David... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:18

Relations of ruler and people. "Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion," etc. This psalm would be very defective if it ended without such a prayer as this. For David the penitent transgressor, David the inspired psalmist, was also David the anointed of God, king of his people Israel. Modern criticism, eager to use its sharp shears, would cut away these two verses as added by a later hand. But modern criticism, keen and accomplished as it is, is sorely lacking in sympathy and imagination.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:18-19

That this is an addition made to the original psalm, during the time of the Babylonian exile, or later, for liturgical purposes, has been maintained by a large number of the commentators who ascribe the rest of the psalm to David. The chief ground for the supposition is the prayer in Psalms 51:18 , "Build thou the walls of Jerusalem," which has been supposed to imply that the walls were in ruins, whereas under David they should have been, it is thought, in good condition. But it has been... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:19

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness. "Then"—when the walls are completed—thou shalt receive the public sacrifices which will naturally be offered on the accomplishment of such a work ( Nehemiah 12:43 ). And these sacrifices, offered willingly by grateful hearts, will be pleasing and acceptable unto thee. With burnt offering, and whole burnt offering . Only the head, the fat, and certain portions of the interior were ordinarily burnt when a victim was... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51

This psalm purports to be a psalm of David, and the contents of it accord with this supposition, and with the statement in the title in regard to the occasion on which it was composed. There would be no difficulty on the subject, and no ground for hesitation, in regard to the author and the occasion on which it was composed, if it were not for the prayer in Psalms 51:18, “Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion; build thou the walls of Jerusalem,” which, it has been maintained by DeWette,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51:1

Have mercy opon me, O God - This is the utterance of a full heart; a heart crushed and broken by the consciousness of sin. The psalmist had been made to see his great guilt; and his first act is to cry out for mercy. There is no attempt to excuse his sin, or to apologise for it; there is no effort to vindicate his conduct; there is no complaint of the righteousness of that holy law which condemned him. It was “guilt” that was before his mind; guilt only; deep and dreadful guilt. The appeal... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51:2

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity - literally, “Multiply to wash me.” The word rendered “throughly” is a verb, either in the infinitive or imperative mood, and suggests the idea of “multiplying” or “increasing.” The reference is to that which might need constant or repeated washings in order to remove a stain adverbially to denote intensity, or thoroughness. On the word wash as applicable to sin, see the notes at Isaiah 1:16.And cleanse me from my sin - Remove it entirely. Make me wholly... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51:3

For I acknowledge my transgressions - literally, I know, or make known. That is, he knew that he was a sinner, and he did not seek to cloak or conceal that fact. He came with the knowledge of it himself; he was willing to make acknowledgment of it before God. There was no attempt to conceal it; to excuse it. Compare the notes at Psalms 32:5. The word ““for”” does not imply that he referred to his willingness to confess his sins as an act of merit, but it indicates a state of mind which was... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51:4

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned - That is, the sin, considered as an offence against God, now appeared to him so enormous and so aggravated, that, for the moment, he lost sight of it considered in any other of its bearings. It “was” a sin, as all other sins are, primarily and mainly against God; it derived its chief enormity from that fact. We are not to suppose that David did not believe and notice that he had done wrong to people, or that he had offended against human laws, and against... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:18

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:18

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:18-19

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:19

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51:1

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51:2

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 51:4

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