1.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Title. A Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. See App-65 .
when Nathan, &c. See 2 Samuel 11:2 ; 2 Samuel 12:1 . David's utterance when he lay all night upon the earth as a penitent (2 Samuel 12:16 ). Compare his utterance when he "sat before the LORD "as a worshipper (2 Samuel 7:18-29 ), and when he "stood upon his feet" as a servant (1 Chronicles 28:2-10 ).
Have mercy upon me = Be gracious or favourable unto me.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
lovingkindness: or, grace.
blot out = erase, as a debt from a book (Exodus 32:32 , Exodus 32:33 .Numbers 5:23 . Num 69:28 ), or wipe out so as to remove (2 Kings 21:13 .Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 44:22 ).
transgressions. Hebrew. pasha'. App-44 .
2.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Wash: as a garment, Hebrew. kabas. Heb form = multiply to wash = wash thoroughly.
iniquity. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .
cleanse: i.e. pronounce ceremonially clean.
sin. Hebrew. chata'. App-44 ,
3.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
acknowledge. Confession is ever the condition of forgiveness. See notes on Psalms 32:5 .
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.
only = alone. This is primary, and contains the secondary.
evil. Hebrew. ra'a'.
That, &c. Quoted in Romans 3:4 .
when Thou speakest: i.e. in Thy word. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "in Thy words" (plural) Compare Romans 3:4 .
clear = pure; such moral purity as belongs not to man, only to God (Job 15:14 ; Job 25:4 .Proverbs 20:9; Proverbs 20:9 ). Hebrew. zakak.
5.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
6.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
in the inward parts. More than the external acts. Hebrew. tuchoth. Only here and Job 38:36 .
make me, &c. See note on Job 28:28 . We need this making, for this wisdom is from above. Compare 2 Timothy 3:15 .
7.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Purge me = Thou wilt sin-cleanse me, or un-sin me: i.e. expiate by the blood of a sin offering.
hyssop. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for the atoning blood sprinkled by it. Compare Numbers 14:18 ; Numbers 19:6 , Numbers 19:18 .
8.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Make me = Thou wilt make me.
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.
Create. Hebrew. bara' , as in Genesis 1:1 . The new heart is not the old one changed, but newly created: i.e. "begotten" by God, as in John 3:6-8 .
right = steadfast. Compare Psalms 78:37 ; Psalms 112:7 .
spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 . Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part), for whole character.
11.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
take not. Not a proper prayer for those now "in Christ": for, see John 14:16 .
Holy Spirit. See the only other O.T. occurrences of the expression (Isaiah 63:10 , Isaiah 63:11 ). Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .
12.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
with Thy free spirit: i.e. with a spirit of willing and unforced obedience. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 . Compare Exodus 35:5 , Exodus 35:22 .
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.
Deliver = Rescue.
bloodguiltiness = bloods, plural of majesty; put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), for the great murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14-21 ). Compare Genesis 4:10 .
15.
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
LORD * = Jehovah. App-4 . One of the 134 alterations of the Sopherim. App-32 .
16.
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
desirest not. Because death was the penalty. Was the child's life the substitute?
17.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
sacrifices. Plural of majesty = the great sacrifice. Compare Isaiah 57:16 ; Isaiah 66:2 .
not despise. Figure of speech Tapeinosis , meaning that God will do infinitely more than words can express.
18.
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Zion. See App-68 . If verses: Psalms 51:18 , Psalms 51:19 are a later addition, then they were probably the work of Hezekiah in his editing the Psalms as well as the Proverbs, when the Psalm was handed over for public use. See App-67 . But David was "a prophet" (Acts 2:30 , Acts 2:31 ).
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.