Psalm 51 "To him that excelleth. a Psalm of David, when the Prophet Nathan *came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
1. Have mercy upon me, O God, (i)according to thy loving-kindness: according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquity.
2. Wash me (ii)thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from mine sin.
3. For I (iii) know mine iniquities, and my sin is ever before me.
4. Against thee, against thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight, that thou mayest be just when thou (iv)speakest, and pure when thou judgest.
5. Behold, I was born in iniquity, and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
6. Behold, thou (v)lovest truth in the inward affections: therefore hast thou taught me wisdom in the secret of mine heart.
7. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean” wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8. Make me to hear (vi)joy and gladness, that the (vii)bones, which thou hast broken, may rejoice.
9. Hide thy face from my sins, and put away all mine iniquities.
10.(viii)Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thine holy Spirit from me.
12. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and establish me with thy (ix)free Spirit.
13. Then shall I teach thy (x)ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14. Deliver me from (xi)blood, O God, which art the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing joyfully of thy righteousness.
15. (xii)Open thou my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
16. For thou desirest no sacrifice, though I would give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17.The sacrifices of God are a (xiii)contrite spirit: a contrite and broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18. Be favorable unto (xiv)Zion for thy good pleasure: build the walls of Jerusalem.
19. Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of (xv)righteousness, even the burnt offering and oblation: then shall they offer calves upon thine alter."
*Psalm 51:Title To reprove him because he had committed so horrible sins, and lain in the same without repentance more than a whole year.
i. As his sins were manifold and great, so he required that God would give him the feeling of his excellent and abundant mercies.
ii. My sins strike so fast in me, that I have need of some extraordinary kind of washing.
Iii. My conscience accuses me so, that I can have no rest till I be reconciled.
iv. When thou gives sentence against sinners, they have to confess that thou art just, and they themselves sinners.
v. He confesses that God who loves pureness of heart, may justly destroy man, who by nature is a sinner, especially him, Who God had instructed in His heavenly wisdom.
vi. He means God's sweet mercies toward repentant sinners.
Vii. By the bones he means all strength of soul and body, which by his cares and weeping is consumed.
Viii. He confesses that when God's Spirit is cold in us, to have it again revived, is like being a new creation.
ix. Which may assure me that I have been drawn out of the slavery that is sin.
x. He promises to endeavor so that others by his example may turn to God.
xi. From the murder of Uriah, and the others that were slain with him, 2 Samuel 11:17**
xii. By giving me the opportunity to praise thee, when thou shalt forgive my sins.
Xiii. Which is by a wounding of the heart, proceeded by a faith, which seeks unto God for mercy.
Xiv. He prays for the whole church, because through his sin it was in danger of judgment by God.
xv.That is, just and lawful, applied to the right end, which is the exercise of faith and repentance.**
2 Samuel 11:17 “And the men of the city came out, and fought with Joab: and there fell of the people of the servants of David, and Uriah the Hittite also died.”
[The above quoted scripture and accompanying Troy-paraphrased notes are taken from the 1599 Geneva Bible. A version of this great Bible, with modern spelling, may be purchased from the following
link]
