Psalm 51:4-11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:4

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned - This verse is supposed to show the impropriety of affixing the above title to this Psalm. It could not have been composed on account of the matter with Bath-sheba and the murder of Uriah; for, surely, these sins could not be said to have been committed against God Only, if we take the words of this verse in their common acceptation. That was a public sin, grievous, and against society at large, as well as against the peace, honor, comfort, and life of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:5

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity - A genuine penitent will hide nothing of his state; he sees and bewails, not only the acts of sin which he has committed, but the disposition that led to those acts. He deplores, not only the transgression, but the carnal mind which is enmity against God. The light that shines into his soul shows him the very source whence transgression proceeds; he sees his fallen nature, as well as his sinful life; he asks pardon for his transgressions, and he asks washing... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:6

Behold, thou desirest truth - I am the very reverse of what I should be. Those desirest truth in the heart, but in me there is nothing but sin and falsity. Thou shalt make one to know wisdom - Thou wilt teach me to restrain every inordinate propensity, and to act according to the dictates of sound wisdom, the rest of my life. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:7

Purge me with hyssop - תחטאני techatteeni , "thou shalt make a sin-offering for me;" probably alluding to the cleansing of the leper: Leviticus 14:1 , etc. The priest took two clean birds, cedar-wood, scarlet, and hyssop; one of the birds was killed; and the living bird, with the scarlet, cedar, and hyssop, dipped in the blood of the bird that had been killed, and then sprinkled over the person who had been infected. But it is worthy of remark that this ceremony was not performed till... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:8

Make me to hear joy - Let me have a full testimony of my reconciliation to thee; that the soul, which is so deeply distressed by a sense of thy displeasure, may be healed by a sense of thy pardoning mercy. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:9

Hide thy face from my sins - The sentiment here is nearly the same as that in Psalm 51:3 ; : His sin was ever before his own face; and he knew that the eye of God was constantly upon him, and that his purity and justice must be highly incensed on the account. He therefore, with a just horror of his transgressions, begs God to turn away his face from them, and to blot them out, so that they may never more be seen. See the note on Psalm 51:1 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:10

Create in me a clean heart - Mending will not avail; my heart is altogether corrupted; it must be new made, made as it was in the beginning. This is exactly the sentiment of St. Paul: Neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation; and the salvation given under the Gospel dispensation is called a being created anew in Christ Jesus. A right spirit within me - נכון רוח ruach nachon , a constant, steady, determined spirit; called Psalm 51:12 , נדיבה... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:11

Cast me not away from thy presence - Banish me not from thy house and ordinances. Take not thy Holy Spirit from me - I know I have sufficiently grieved it to justify its departure for ever, in consequence of which I should be consigned to the blackness of darkness, - either to utter despair, or to a hard heart and seared conscience; and so work iniquity with greediness, till I fell into the pit of perdition. While the Spirit stays, painfully convincing of sin, righteousness, and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:4

Verse 4 4.Against thee, thee only, have I sinned (260) It is the opinion of some that he here adverts to the circumstance of his sin, although it was committed against man, being concealed from every eye but that of God. None was aware of the double wrong which he had inflicted upon Uriah, nor of the wanton manner in which he had exposed his army to danger; and his crime being thus unknown to men, might be said to have been committed exclusively against God. According to others, David here... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 51:5

Verse 5 5Behold, I was born in iniquity, etc He now proceeds further than the mere acknowledgement of one or of many sins, confessing that he brought nothing but sin with him into the world, and that his nature was entirely depraved. He is thus led by the consideration of one offense of peculiar atrocity to the conclusion that he was born in iniquity, and was absolutely destitute of all spiritual good. Indeed, every sin should convince us of the general truth of the corruption of our nature.... read more

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