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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 51:1-6

The title has reference to a very sad story, that of David's fall. But, though he fell, he was not utterly cast down, for God graciously upheld him and raised him up. 1. The sin which, in this psalm, he laments, was the folly and wickedness he committed with his neighbour's wife, a sin not to be spoken of, nor thought of, without detestation. His debauching of Bathsheba was the inlet to all the other sins that followed; it was as the letting forth of water. This sin of David's is recorded for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 51:1

Have mercy upon me, O God ,.... David, under a sense of sin, does not run away from God, but applies unto him, and casts himself at his feet, and upon his mercy; which shows the view he had of his miserable condition, and that he saw there was mercy in God, which gave him hope; and upon his bended knees, and in the exercise of faith, he asks for it; according to thy lovingkindness ; not according to his merits, nor according to the general mercy of God, which carnal men rely upon; but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 51:2

Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity ,.... Which supposes defilement by sin, and that very great, and such as none can remove but the Lord himself; who, when he takes it in hand, does it effectually and thoroughly; see Ezekiel 36:25 . David's sin had long lain upon him, the faith of it had as it were eaten into him, and spread itself over him, and therefore he needed much washing: "wash me much", all over, and thoroughly: and cleanse me from my sin : which only the blood of Christ can... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 51:3

For I acknowledge my transgressions ,.... Before God and man. Acknowledgment of sin is what the Lord requires, and promises forgiveness upon, and therefore is used here as a plea for it; and moreover the psalmist had done so before, and had succeeded in this way, which must encourage him to take the same course again; see Psalm 32:5 ; and my sin is ever before me ; staring him in the face; gnawing upon his conscience, and filling him with remorse and distress; so that his life was a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:1

Have mercy upon me, O God - Without mercy I am totally, finally ruined and undone. According to thy loving-kindness - Mark the gradation in the sense of these three words, Have Mercy on me, חנני chonneni ; thy Loving-Kindness, חסדך chasdecha ; - thy Tender Mercies, רחמיך rachameycha , here used to express the Divine compassion. The propriety of the order in which they are placed deserves particular observation. The first, rendered have mercy or pity, denotes that kind of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:2

Wash me throughly - כבסני הרבה harbeh cabbeseni , "Wash me again and again, - cause my washings to be multiplied." My stain is deep; ordinary purgation will not be sufficient. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:3

For I acknowledge my transgressions - I know, I feel, I confess that I have sinned. My sin is ever before me - A true, deep, and unsophisticated mark of a genuine penitent. Wherever he turns his face, he sees his sin, and through it the eye of an angry God. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:1

Verse 1 1.Have mercy upon me. David begins, as I have already remarked, by praying for pardon; and his sin having been of an aggravated description, he prays with unwonted earnestness. He does not satisfy himself with one petition. Having mentioned the loving-kindness of the Lord, he adds the multitude of his compassions, to intimate that mercy of an ordinary kind would not suffice for so great a sinner. Had he prayed God to be favorable, simply according to his clemency or goodness, even that... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:3

Verse 3 3.For If know my sins (259) He now discovers his reason for imploring pardon with so much vehemency, and this was the painful disquietude which his sins caused him, and which could only be relieved by his obtaining reconciliation with God. This proves that his prayer did not proceed from dissimulation, as many will be found commending the grace of God in high terms, although, in reality, they care little about it, having never felt the bitterness of being exposed to his displeasure.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 51:1

Have mercy upon me, O God , according to thy loving-kindness. It is observable that the whole psalm is addressed to God ( Elohim ), and not to Jehovah (the "Lord" in Psalms 51:15 is Adonai ), as though the psalmist felt himself unworthy to utter the covenant-name, and simply prostrated himself as a guilty man before his offended Maker. It is not correet to say that "loving-kindness implies a covenant" (Cheyne), since God is "good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his... read more

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