Psalm 51:1 Komentář

Though David penned this psalm upon a very particular occasion, yet, it is of as general use as any of David's psalms; it is the most eminent of the penitential psalms, and most expressive of the cares and desires of a repenting sinner. It is a pity indeed that in our devout addresses to God we should have any thing else to do than to praise God, for that is the work of heaven; but we make other work for ourselves by our own sins and follies: we must come to the throne of grace in the posture of penitents, to confess our sins and sue for the grace of God; and, if therein we would take with us words, we can nowhere find any more apposite than in this psalm, which is the record of David's repentance for his sin in the matter of Uriah, which was the greatest blemish upon his character: all the rest of his faults were nothing to this; it is said of him (Kg1 15:5), That "he turned not aside from the commandment of the Lord all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite." In this psalm, I. He confesses his sin (Psa 51:3-6). II. He prays earnestly for the pardon of his sin (Psa 51:1, Psa 51:2, Psa 51:7, Psa 51:9). III. For peace of conscience (Psa 51:8, Psa 51:12). IV. For grace to go and sin no more (Psa 51:10, Psa 51:11, Psa 51:14). V. For liberty of access to God (Psa 51:15). IV. He promises to do what he could for the good of the souls of others (Psa 51:13) and for the glory of God (Psa 51:16, Psa 51:17, Psa 51:19). And, lastly, concludes with a prayer for Zion and Jerusalem (Psa 51:18). Those whose consciences charge them with any gross sin should, with a believing regard to Jesus Christ, the Mediator, again and again pray over this psalm; nay, though we have not been guilty of adultery and murder, or any the like enormous crime, yet in singing it, and praying over it, we may very sensibly apply it all to ourselves, which if we do with suitable affections we shall, through Christ, find mercy to pardon and grace for seasonable help. To the chief musician. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba.

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 warning to all, that he who thinks he stands may take heed lest he fall. 2. The repentance which, in this psalm, he expresses, he was brought to by the ministry of Nathan, who was sent of God to convince him of his sin, after he had continued above nine months (for aught that appears) without any particular expressions of remorse and sorrow for it. But though God may suffer his people to fall into sin, and to lie a great while in it, yet he will, by some means or other, recover them to repentance, bring them to himself and to their right mind again. Herein, generally, he uses the ministry of the word, which yet he is not tied to. But those that have been overtaken in any fault ought to reckon a faithful reproof the greatest kindness that can be don them and a wise reprover their best friend. Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be excellent oil. 3. David, being convinced of his sin, poured out his soul to God in prayer for mercy and grace. Whither should backsliding children return, but to the Lord their God, from whom they have backslidden, and who alone can heal their backslidings? 4. He drew up, by divine inspiration, the workings of his heart towards God, upon this occasion, into a psalm, that it might be often repeated, and long after reviewed; and this he committed to the chief musician, to be sung in the public service of the church. (1.) As a profession of his own repentance, which he would have to be generally taken notice of, his sin having been notorious, that the plaster might be as wide as the wound. Those that truly repent of their sins will not be ashamed to own their repentance; but, having lost the honour of innocents, they will rather covet the honour of penitents. (2.) As a pattern to others, both to bring them to repentance by his example and to instruct them in their repentance what to do an what to say. Being converted himself, he thus strengthens his brethren (Luk 22:32), and for this cause he obtained mercy, Ti1 1:16. In these words we have, I. David's humble petition, Psa 51:1, Psa 51:2. His prayer is much the same with that which our Saviour puts into the mouth of his penitent publican in the parable: God be merciful to me a sinner! Luk 18:13. David was, upon many accounts, a man of great merit; he had not only done much, but suffered much, in the cause of God; and yet, when he is convinced of sin, he does not offer to balance his evil deeds with his good deeds, nor can he think that his services will atone for his offences; but he flies to God's infinite mercy, and depends upon that only for pardon and peace: Have mercy upon me, O God! He owns himself obnoxious to God's justice, and therefore casts himself upon his mercy; and it is certain that the best man in the world will be undone if God be not merciful to him. Observe, 1. What his plea is for this mercy: "have mercy upon me, O God! not according to the dignity of my birth, as descended from the prince of the tribe of Judah, not according to my public services as Israel's champion, or my public honours as Israel's king;" his plea is not, Lord, remember David and all his afflictions, how he vowed to build a place for the ark (Psa 132:1, Psa 132:2); a true penitent will make no mention of any such thing; but "Have mercy upon me for mercy's sake. I have nothing to plead with thee but," (1.) "The freeness of thy mercy, according to thy lovingkindness, thy clemency, the goodness of thy nature, which inclines thee to pity the miserable." (2.) "The fulness of thy mercy. There are in thee not only lovingkindness and tender mercies, but abundance of them, a multitude of tender mercies for the forgiveness of many sinners, of many sins, to multiply pardons as we multiply transgressions." 2. What is the particular mercy that he begs - the pardon of sin. Blot out my transgressions, as a debt is blotted or crossed out of the book, when either the debtor has paid it or the creditor has remitted it. "Wipe out my transgressions, that they may not appear to demand judgment against me, nor stare me in the face to my confusion and terror." The blood of Christ, sprinkled upon the conscience, to purify and pacify that, blots out the transgression, and, having reconciled us to God, reconciles up to ourselves, Psa 51:2. "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity; wash my soul from the guilt and stain of my sin by thy mercy and grace, for it is only from a ceremonial pollution that the water of separation will avail to cleanse me. Multiple to wash me; the stain is deep, for I have lain long soaking in the guilt, so that it will not easily be got out. O wash me much, wash me thoroughly. Cleanse me from my sin." Sin defiles us, renders us odious in the sight of the holy God, and uneasy to ourselves; it unfits us for communion with God in grace or glory. When God pardons sin he cleanses us from it, so that we become acceptable to him, easy to ourselves, and have liberty of access to him. Nathan had assured David, upon his first profession of repentance, that his win was pardoned. The Lord has taken away thy sin; thou shalt not die, Sa2 12:13. Yet he prays, Wash me, cleanse, blot out my transgressions; for God will be sought unto even for that which he has promised; and those whose sins are pardoned must pray that the pardon may be more and more cleared up to them. God had forgiven him, but he could not forgive himself; and therefore he is thus importunate for pardon, as one that thought himself unworthy of it and knew how to value it. II. David's penitential confessions, Psa 51:3-5. 1. He was very free to own his guilt before God: I acknowledge my transgressions; this he had formerly found the only way of easing his conscience, Psa 32:4, Psa 32:5. Nathan said, Thou art the man. I am, says David; I have sinned. 2. He had such a deep sense of it that the was continually thinking of it with sorrow and shame. His contrition for his sin was not a slight sudden passion, but an abiding grief: "My sin is ever before me, to humble me and mortify me, and make me continually blush and tremble. It is ever against me" (so some); "I see it before me as an enemy, accusing and threatening me." David was, upon all occasions, put in mid of his sin, and was willing to be so, for his further abasement. He never walked on the roof of his house without a penitent reflection on his unhappy walk there when thence he saw Bathsheba; he never lay down to sleep without a sorrowful thought of the bed of his uncleanness, never sat down to meat, never sent his servant on an errand, or took his pen in hand, but it put him in mind of his making Uriah drunk, the treacherous message he sent by him, and the fatal warrant he wrote and signed for his execution. Note, The acts of repentance, even for the same sin, must be often repeated. It will be of good use for us to have our sins ever before us, that by the remembrance of our past sins we may be kept humble, may be armed against temptation, quickened to duty, and made patient under the cross. (1.) He confesses his actual transgressions (Psa 51:4): Against thee, thee only, have I sinned. David was a very great man, and yet, having done amiss, submits to the discipline of a penitent, and thinks not his royal dignity will excuse him from it. Rich and poor must here meet together; there is one law of repentance for both; the greatest must be judged shortly, and therefore must judge themselves now. David was a very good man, and yet, having sinned, he willingly accommodates himself to the place and posture of a penitent. The best men, if they sin, should give the best example of repentance. [1.] His confession is particular; "I have done this evil, this that I am now reproved for, this that my own conscience now upbraids me with." Note, It is good to be particular in the confession of sin, that we may be the more express in praying for pardon, and so may have the more comfort in it. We ought to reflect upon the particular heads of our sins of infirmity and the particular circumstances of our gross sins. [2.] He aggravates the sin which he confesses and lays a load upon himself for it: Against thee, and in thy sight. Hence our Saviour seems to borrow the confession which he puts into the mouth of the returning prodigal: I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, Luk 15:18. Two things David laments in his sin: - First, That it was committed against God. To him the affront is given, and he is the party wronged. It is his truth that by wilful sin we deny, his conduct that we despise, his command that we disobey, his promise that we distrust, his name that we dishonour, and it is with him that we deal deceitfully and disingenuously. From this topic Joseph fetched the great argument against sin (Gen 39:9), and David here the great aggravation of it: Against thee only. Some make this to intimate the prerogative of his crown, that, as a king, he was not accountable to any but God; but it is more agreeable to his present temper to suppose that it expresses the deep contrition of his soul for his sin, and that it was upon right grounds. He here sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, against his own soul, and body, and family, against his kingdom, and against the church of God, and all this helped to humble him; but none of these were sinned against so as God was, and therefore this he lays the most sorrowful accent upon: Against thee only have I sinned. Secondly, That it was committed in God's sight. "This not only proves it upon me, but renders it exceedingly sinful." This should greatly humble us for all our sins, that they have been committed under the eye of God, which argues either a disbelief of his omniscience or a contempt of his justice. [3.] He justifies God in the sentence passed upon him - that the sword should never depart from his house, Sa2 12:10, Sa2 12:11. He is very forward to own his sin, and aggravate it, not only that he might obtain the pardon of it himself, but that by his confession he might give honour to God. First, That God might be justified in the threatenings he had spoken by Nathan. "Lord, I have nothing to say against the justice of them; I deserve what is threatened, and a thousand times worse." Thus Eli acquiesced in the like threatenings (Sa1 3:18), It is the Lord. And Hezekiah (Kg2 20:19), Good is the word of the Lord, which thou hast spoken. Secondly, That God might be clear when he judged, that is, when he executed those threatenings. David published his confession of sin that when hereafter he should come into trouble none might say God had done him any wrong; for he owns the Lord is righteous: thus will all true penitents justify God by condemning themselves. Thou art just in all that is brought upon us. (2.) He confesses his original corruption (Psa 51:5): Behold, I was shapen in iniquity. He does not call upon God to behold it, but upon himself. "Come, my soul, look unto the rock out of which I was hewn, and thou wilt find I was shapen in iniquity. Had I duly considered this before, I find I should not have made so bold with the temptation, nor have ventured among the sparks with such tinder in my heart; and so the sin might have been prevented. Let me consider it now, not to excuse or extenuate the sin - Lord, I did so; but indeed I could not help it, my inclination led me to it" (for as that plea is false, with due care and watchfulness, and improvement of the grace of God, he might have helped it, so it is what a true penitent never offers to put in), "but let me consider it rather as an aggravation of the sin: Lord, I have not only been guilty of adultery and murder, but I have an adulterous murderous nature; therefore I abhor myself." David elsewhere speaks of the admirable structure of his body (Psa 139:14, Psa 139:15); it was curiously wrought; and yet here he says it was shapen in iniquity, sin was twisted in with it; not as it came out of God's hands, but as it comes through our parents' loins. He elsewhere speaks of the piety of his mother, that she was God's handmaid, and he pleads his relation to her (Psa 116:16, Psa 86:16), and yet here he says she conceived him in sin; for though she was, by grace, a child of God, she was, by nature, a daughter of Eve, and not excepted from the common character. Note, It is to be sadly lamented by every one of us that we brought into the world with us a corrupt nature, wretchedly degenerated from its primitive purity and rectitude; we have from our birth the snares of sin in our bodies, the seeds of sin in our souls, and a stain of sin upon both. This is what we call original sin, because it is as ancient as our original, and because it is the original of all our actual transgressions. This is that foolishness which is bound in the heart of a child, that proneness of evil and backwardness to good which is the burden of the regenerate and the ruin of the unregenerate; it is a bent to backslide from God. III. David's acknowledgment of the grace of God (Psa 51:6), both his good-will towards us ("thou desirest truth in the inward parts, thou wouldst have us all honest and sincere, and true to our profession") and his good work in us - "In the hidden part thou hast made," or shalt make, "me to know wisdom." Note, 1. Truth and wisdom will go very far towards making a man a good man. A clear head and a sound heart (prudence and sincerity) bespeak the man of God perfect. 2. What God requires of us he himself works in us, and he works it in the regular way, enlightening the mind, and so gaining the will. But how does this come in here? (1.) God is hereby justified and cleared: "Lord, thou was not the author of my sin; there is no blame to be laid upon thee; but I alone must bear it; for thou has many a time admonished me to be sincere, and hast made me to know that which, if I had duly considered it, would have prevented my falling into this sin; had I improved the grace thou hast given me, I should have kept my integrity." (2.) The sin is hereby aggravated: "Lord, thou desirest truth; but where was it when I dissembled with Uriah? Thou hast made me to know wisdom; but I have not lived up to what I have known." (3.) He is hereby encouraged, in his repentance, to hope that God would graciously accept him; for, [1.] God had made him sincere in his resolutions never to return to folly again: Thou desirest truth in the inward part; this is that which God has an eye to in a returning sinner, that in his spirit there be no guile, Psa 32:2. David was conscious to himself of the uprightness of his heart towards God in his repentance, and therefore doubted not but God would accept him. [2.] He hoped that God would enable him to make good his resolutions, that in the hidden part, in the new man, which is called the hidden man of the heart (Pe1 3:4), he would make him to know wisdom, so as to discern and avoid the designs of the tempter another time. Some read it as a prayer: "Lord, in this instance, I have done foolishly; for the future make me to know wisdom." Where there is truth God will give wisdom; those that sincerely endeavour to do their duty shall be taught their duty.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 51 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. The occasion of this psalm was the sin of David with Bathsheba, signified by "going in to her"; an euphemism for "lying with her"; which sin was a very aggravated one, she being another man's wife, and the wife of a servant and soldier of his, who was at the same time exposing his life for his king and country's good; and David besides had many wives, and was also king of Israel, and should have set a better example to his subjects; and it was followed with other sins, as the murder of Uriah, and the death of several others; with scandal to religion, and with security and impenitence in him for a long time, until Nathan the prophet was sent to him of God, to awaken him to a sense of his sin; which he immediately acknowledged, and showed true repentance for it: upon which, either while Nathan was present, or after he was gone, he penned this psalm; that it might remain on record, as a testification of his repentance, and for the instruction of such as should fall into sin, how to behave, where to apply, and for their comfort. The history of all this may be seen in the eleventh and twelfth chapters of the second book of Samuel.

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 according to his everlasting and unchangeable love in Christ; from which as the source, and through whom as the medium, special mercy comes to the children of men. The acts of special mercy are according to the sovereign will of God: he is not moved to mercy neither by the merits nor misery of men, but by his free grace and favour; it is love that sets mercy to work: this is a most glaring gleam of Gospel light, which none of the inspired writers besides, except the Apostle Paul, saw, Eph 2:4; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions; for his sin was complicated, attended with many others; and, besides, upon a view of this, he was led to observe all his other sins; and particularly the corruption of his nature, his original sin, which he mentions, Psa 51:5. These he desires might be "blotted out"; out of the book of account, out of God's debt book; that they might not stand against him, being debts he was not able to pay or make satisfaction for; and out of the table of his own heart and conscience, where they were ever before him, and seemed to be engraven; that they might be caused to pass from him, and he might have no more conscience of them; or that they might be blotted out, as a cloud by the clear shining of the sun of righteousness, with the healing of pardoning grace in his wings; or that they might be wiped away, as any faith is wiped from any person or thing: and all this "according to the multitude of his tender mercies". The mercy of God is plenteous and abundant; he is rich in it, and various are the instances of it; and it is exceeding tender, like that of a father to his children, or like that of a mother to the son of her womb; and from this abundant and tender mercy springs the forgiveness of sin, Luk 1:77. The psalmist makes mention of the multitude of the mercies of God, because of the multitude of his sins, which required a multitude of mercy to forgive, and to encourage his hope of it.

Beloved, let us praise her, through whom we have been saved. Let us love her; let us prefer her to wealth. Let us have a merciful soul apart from wealth. Nothing is more characteristic of a Christian than mercy. There is nothing that unbelievers and all people are so amazed at as when we are merciful. For we ourselves are often in need of this mercy and say to God, “Have mercy on us according to the greatness of your mercy.” Let us begin first ourselves; yet we do not begin first. For he has already shown his mercy that he has toward us. But, beloved, let us follow second. For if people have mercy on one who was merciful, even if he has committed countless sins, God is much more merciful.

Psalm 50 [51] shows the complete repentance of a sinner when David, who had gone into Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite and was rebuked by the prophet Nathan, said, “I have sinned.” Immediately he deserved to hear “The Lord has removed your sin from you.” For he, who had added homicide to adultery and was moved to tears, said, “God, have compassion on me according to your great pity, and according to the multitude of your mercies take away my iniquity.” Since a great sin needed great mercy, he added, “Wash me completely from my iniquity, and my offense is always before me. I have sinned against you only”—for a king did not fear anyone else—“and I have done evil in your sight so that you will be justified in your speaking and you overcome when you judge.” “For God has included all things under sin so that he may be merciful to all.” He made so much progress that he who a little earlier had been a penitent sinner became a master and was able to say, “I will teach the unjust your ways, and sinners will be converted to you.” Since confession and beauty are before God, the one who confesses his sins and says, “My wounds have been destroyed and become putrefied,” changes the foulness of his wounds into a healthy state. But “he who hides his sins will not prosper.”

Hear therefore these words, and say thou with him: "Have pity upon me, O God, after Your great mercy" [Psalm 51:1]. He that implores great mercy, confesses great misery. Let them seek a little mercy of You, that have sinned in ignorance: "Have pity," he says, "upon me, after Your great mercy." Relieve a deep wound after Your great healing. Deep is what I have, but in the Almighty I take refuge. Of my own so deadly wound I should despair, unless I could find so great a Physician. "Have pity upon me, O God, after Your great mercy: and after the multitude of Your pities, blot out my iniquity." What he says, "Blot out my iniquity," is this, "Have pity upon me, O God." And what he says, "After the multitude of Your pities," is this, "After Your great mercy." Because great is the mercy, many are the mercies; and of Your great mercy, many are Your pitying. Thou dost regard mockers to amend them, dost regard ignorant men to teach them, dost regard men confessing to pardon. Did he this in ignorance? A certain man had done some, aye many evil things he had done; "Mercy," he says, "I obtained, because ignorant I did it in unbelief." [1 Timothy 1:13] This David could not say, "Ignorant I did it." For he was not ignorant how very evil a thing was the touching of another's wife, and how very evil a thing was the killing of the husband, who knew not of it, and was not even angered. They obtain therefore the mercy of the Lord that have in ignorance done it; and they that have knowing done it, obtain not any mercy it may chance, but "great mercy."

Some monks called Euchites, or ‘men of prayer’, once came to Lucius in the ninth region of Alexandria. He asked them, ‘What manual work do you do?’ They said, ‘We do not work with our hands. We obey St Paul’s command and pray without ceasing’ (1 Thess. 5:17). He said to them, ‘Don’t you eat?’ They said, ‘Yes, we do.’ He said to them: ‘When you are eating who prays for you?’ Then he asked them, ‘Don’t you sleep?’ They said, ‘Yes, we do.’ He said, ‘Who prays for you while you are asleep?’ and they could not answer him. Then he said to them, ‘I may be wrong, brothers, but it seems to me that you don’t do what you say. I will show you how I pray without ceasing although I work with my hands. With God’s help, I sit down with a few palm leaves, and plait them, and say, ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great mercy: and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away with mine iniquity’ (Ps. 51:1). He asked them, ‘Is that prayer, or not?’ They said, ‘It’s prayer all right.’ He said, ‘When I spend all day working and praying in my heart, I make about sixteen pence. Two of these I put outside the door, and with the rest I buy food. Whoever finds the two pennies outside the door prays for me while I am eating and sleeping: and so by God’s grace I fulfil the text, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).’

Finally, holy David successfully gained divine mercy because, having been converted by the humility of a contrite heart, he condemned the evil he had done by acknowledging it and did not put off punishment by doing penance for the lust of the evil deed he had fallen into; because, if he had not punished the cause of the guilt in which he was held, without a doubt he would have been punished. Having been converted to penance, he acknowledged his crime, fearing lest he would have to acknowledge the penalty by being condemned. By doing penance, he punished himself by acknowledging what he wanted to be overlooked by the Lord in himself. Finally, since he said, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” Immediately following this he added, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” He acknowledged his sin, not that by sinning he might increase it the more, but that by repenting, he might wash it away; and so the domination of sin, which blameworthy enjoyment had brought in, true conversion removed. And because David, converted with all his heart, groaned, he was immediately saved and thus in him was fulfilled what is commanded through the prophet: “If you are converted and groan, you will be saved.”

In the preceding Psalms of this decade, the Psalmist seems to have treated of those things that pertain to the state of the kingdom, whose glory he described and to which he invited others. But now, because the glory of this kingdom has been impeded by sin, he treats of the abolition of sin. Here two things must be considered. First, that in the order of the Psalms, this Psalm is the fiftieth, and this is the jubilee number, as is said in Lev. 27, in which the remission of all debts was made. Hence this number is fitting for this Psalm, in which he treats of the full remission of sins. Similarly, as regards the penitential Psalms, this one is placed fourth, and fittingly so: for the first pertains to contrition of heart; hence it says, Ps. 6: "Every night I will wash," etc. The second pertains to confession of mouth, Ps. 31: "I said, I will confess," etc. The third pertains to satisfaction; hence it says, Ps. 37: "I am afflicted," etc. But this fourth pertains to the effect of penance. In it is shown how penance restores a person to perfection; and therefore, among all the others, this Psalm is most frequently used in the Church, because this one solely implores mercy, and thus obtains pardon; and this is easy and can be fitting for anyone. In the other six penitential Psalms, there are certain heavy things, such as Ps. 6: "Every night I will wash my bed." And Ps. 101: "I ate ashes like bread," etc., which cannot be fitting for everyone. The title is as follows: "A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba." This history is expressly found in 2 Sam. 11 and 12, when David was in prosperity, saw a woman washing herself, and desired her, and committed adultery, and had her husband killed. And this displeased God, and Nathan the prophet was sent to him and brought him to the detestation of his sin under the likeness of a lost sheep. And David said, "I have sinned against the Lord." And his sin was forgiven. And this is the subject matter of this Psalm, namely the forgiveness of sin. But it should be known regarding the title of this Psalm that David in other Psalms speaks about others -- as in Ps. 21, "O God, my God," he speaks foretelling the Passion of Christ; and so in various Psalms he speaks about various things -- but this Psalm he composed for his own sake. In it he shows the guilt he committed, made manifest to the world, and similarly the pardon; and thus is fulfilled what the Lord said, 2 Sam. 12: "You did this in secret, and I will make it manifest." The reason for this manifestation is the divine mercy; for this manifestation is useful to the just, so that they may not presume on their own justice, because if David, after so many victories, after the gift of the Holy Spirit, after such great familiarity with God and prophecy, sinned, how much more should we, who are fragile and sinners, be on guard? 1 Cor. 10: "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." Also, it is useful to sinners, so that they may not despair. Prov. 24: "If you despair, having fallen, in the day of anguish your strength will be diminished"; for David, after homicide and adultery, recovered the grace of prophecy. The manner of speaking in the title should be noted: "when he came" -- here he designates the pardon, which is treated in the Psalm, because through Nathan the Lord heard him and transferred his sin. But when it says, "when he went in to Bathsheba," the guilt is designated. Here two things are shown. First, that he names the guilt when he says, "and he went in." Ps. 11: "The words of the Lord are chaste words." Also, though he had committed two sins, namely adultery and homicide, Scripture named only the adultery. And this for two reasons. First, to designate that in scrutinizing and publicizing the sins of others, we should not be ready but very sparing. Prov. 24: "Do not lie in wait to seek wickedness in the house of the just"; and this is signified in Mt. 25, where the Lord enumerates the merits of the good diligently but passes over the demerits of the wicked. Also, it should be noted that when someone commits two sins and one is done for the sake of the other, one passes into the species of the other; just as one who commits theft in order to fornicate is called a fornicator rather than a thief. Now this Psalm is divided into two parts. First, he implores mercy; second, he promises amendment, at "I will teach the unjust." Regarding the first, he does two things. First, he asks for the relaxation of guilt; second, he asks for the restoration of holiness and grace, at "because my iniquity." He therefore first asks for the mercy of God, when he says, "Have mercy on me, O God." Here it should be known that, as is said in Prov. 14, "Sin makes peoples wretched." For just as one is not truly happy who abounds in riches, enjoys pleasures, and excels in honors, but rather one who enjoys God, so one is not wretched who is poor, miserable, weak, and infirm, but rather one who is a sinner. And therefore this man, who is a sinner, says, "Have mercy on me, O God," you who have mercy on all and hate nothing of what you have made, Wis. 11. And according to the apostle, "have mercy on whom you will," Rom. 9: "I will have mercy on whom I will." Therefore, if it is subject to your will to have mercy, "have mercy on me," namely a sinner. He does not wish to contend, he does not seek to argue, but takes the short way: "have mercy." Also, he does not allege a cause for mercy, not the services he rendered to God, not the dangers he endured for him, but implores only the mercy of God; hence he says, "according to your great mercy." Dan. 9: "Not in our justifications do we prostrate our prayers before your face, but in your many mercies." And it should be noted that one can hope for divine mercy for a double reason. One reason is from the consideration of the divine nature; the other reason is from the consideration of the multitude of its effects. First, therefore, he shows that he hopes for the mercy of God from the consideration of the divine nature, because it is proper to the divine nature that it is goodness itself. Hence Dionysius says that God is the very substance of goodness. And Boethius in his work On the Trinity says the same. Hence this mercy of God is nothing other than goodness directed toward dispelling wretchedness. Therefore, when I consider that it is proper to goodness to dispel wretchedness, and that God is goodness itself, I confidently have recourse to mercy. And it is called great in its incomprehensibility, by which it fills all things. Ps. 32: "The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord." And it has a place in all things: for the just have preserved their innocence on account of the mercy of God. Augustine: "Lord, I attribute to your grace the evils I have not committed." Also, sinners have been converted to justice on account of the mercy of God. 1 Tim. 1: "I have obtained mercy." Also, those existing in sin have experienced the mercy of God. Lam. 3: "The mercies of the Lord are many; for we are not consumed." Also, it is called great in its sublimity, because "his mercies are above all his works"; for mercy does not signify in God a passion of the soul, but goodness directed toward dispelling wretchedness. Also great in its duration. Is. 54: "With everlasting mercy I have had compassion on you." Also great in its power, because it made God become man, brought God from heaven to earth, and made the immortal one die. Eph. 2: "But God, who is rich in mercy." Also great in its effect, because from every wretchedness a person can be raised through mercy. Ps. 85: "Your mercy is great upon me, and you have forgiven the wickedness of my sin" (Ps. 31). And therefore I confidently ask: "Have mercy on me, O God." The other reason is that in all things from the beginning of the world I have found the effects of your mercy. And therefore he says, "and according to the multitude of your mercies, blot out my iniquity"; as if to say: have mercy on me, according as you have had mercy in many ways and on diverse people. Hence Is. 63 says: "I will be mindful of the mercies of the Lord." Ps. 24: "Remember your mercies," etc. "Blot out my iniquity." Here he sets forth the effect of having mercy. Nathan said, 2 Sam. 12: "The Lord has taken away your sin," etc. And so he was secure about pardon; but he wished the sin to be totally eradicated. Now a twofold effect of sin remains: namely, the debt of punishment and the stain on the soul. First, therefore, he asks for the removal of the debt of punishment; and therefore, "wash me yet more from my iniquity." It should be known that in Jer. 17 it is said that the sin of Judah was written with an iron pen, with a point of diamond; in the likeness of a judge who writes the offense, which is preserved written for as long as he has the intention of punishing; but if he puts aside this intention, he does not preserve the record. And so it is said to be written with a diamond pen when the sin is not blotted out. And this is what he says, "blot out my iniquity," that is, do not impute my iniquity to me for punishment. Is. 43: "I am he who blots out your iniquities." Also, ibid. 44: "I have blotted out your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a mist."

On the occasion, compare Sa2 11:12. The Psalm illustrates true repentance, in which are comprised conviction, confession, sorrow, prayer for mercy, and purposes of amendment, and it is accompanied by a lively faith. (Psa. 51:1-19) A plea for mercy is a confession of guilt. blot out--as from a register. transgressions--literally, "rebellions" (Psa 19:13; Psa 32:1).

Prayer for the remission of sin. Concerning the interchangeable names for sin, vid., on Psa 32:1. Although the primary occasion of the Psalm is the sin of adultery, still David says פּשׁעי, not merely because many other sins were developed out of it, as his guilt of blood in the case of Uriah, the scandal put into the mouths of the enemies of Jahve, and his self-delusion, which lasted almost a whole year; but also because each solitary sin, the more it is perceived in its fundamental character and, as it were, microscopically discerned, all the more does it appear as a manifold and entangled skein of sins, and stands forth in a still more intimate and terrible relation, as of cause and effect, to the whole corrupt and degenerated condition in which the sinner finds himself. In מחה sins are conceived of as a cumulative debt (according to Isa 44:22, cf. Isa 43:25, like a thick, dark cloud) written down (Jer 17:1) against the time of the payment by punishment. In כּבּסני (from כּבּס, πλύνειν, to wash by rubbing and kneading up, distinguished from רחץ, λούειν, to wash by rinsing) iniquity is conceived of as deeply ingrained dirt. In טהרני, the usual word for a declarative and de facto making clean, sin is conceived of as a leprosy, Lev 13:6, Lev 13:34. the Kerמ runs הרב כּבּסני (imperat. Hiph., like הרף, Psa 37:8), "make great or much, wash me," i.e., (according to Ges. ֗142, 3, b) wash me altogether, penitus et totum, which is the same as is expressed by the Chethמb הרבּה (prop. multum faciendo = multum, prorsus, Ges. ֗131, 2). In כּרב (Isa 63:7) and הרב is expressed the depth of the consciousness of sin; profunda enim malitia, as Martin Geier observes, insolitam raramque gratiam postulat.