Commentary

ĹĞ̂Ő̂ ŚĄ́Ń̂`
Psalm 51
Speaking in the most general sense, the confession of sins has three primary pur-
poses: acknowledging sin’s power in our lives, stating that God’s power is greater
than sin’s influence, and reorienting our lives towards God. Psalm 51 contains
each of these ideas.

Psalm 51:1 blot out Blotting, erasing, or obliterating away sin is found in the

ŸĎ̄Ő̂
verb .1

Psalm 51:2 Wash me – The verb wash ( ) is used fifty-one times in the Old
Testament. The primary use of this verb is associated with the cleaning of
clothes by walking on them in water.2 The use of this verb to indicate wash-
ing in the psalm is only figurative.3 The use of wash in this psalm indicates
the speaker’s desire to have sin’s depravity removed (Psalm 51:2, 7). The
psalmist also uses other phrases for removing sin’s stain. In verse 2 along
with the image of washing clothes, we have another verb , which car-
ries the idea of being pure or of being made ritually clean.4 Before that in
the first line, the author speaks of obliterating marks. These three different
verbs all bring slightly different meanings to the concept of sin’s removal.
Sometimes sin might be easy to remove, just like wiping up a spilled drink
and at other times, the removal of sin’s stain might require a more work.

Psalm 51:3 my sin is ever before me – Sin is our condition.

In the fifty-first Psalm, the author uses poetry’s power to portray thee dif-
ferent images of sin.5 The first image of sin found in verses 1, 3, and 13
is one of rebellion. The psalm’s inscription gives us the background of that
revolt. King David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. When she re-
ported her pregnancy to the king, he devised a scheme to have Bathsheba’s
1
F. Brown, S. Driver and C. Briggs, editors, The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew And English
Lexicon, (Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1999), p. 562.
2
Ibid., p. 460.
3
Ibid.
4
Ibid., p. 372.
5
James Limburg; Patrick D. Miller and David L. Barlett, editors, Psalms, (Westminister John
Knox Press, 2000), Westminister Bible Companion, p. 172.

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 use the Hebrew word ĂĹ̂Ď̂
husband killed on the battlefield. The king thought that he had gotten away
with murder, but the prophet Nathan told David of his sin.
The second picture of sin is located in verses 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 13. These verses
that can mean either to miss a mark or to sin.67
This ambiguity is useful in the poem since poetry can hold both ideas to-
gether. David not only lost his way when he had an affair with Bathsheba
but he also did something that was against God’s law.
The third concept of sin is found in verse 2, 9, and 15. Sin is also perverse.
It goes against God’s laws whether they are found in the Decalogue or the
Torah. Sin bends us out of shape so that we no longer fit in God’s creation.

Psalm 51:4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned – The great Jewish teacher
Abraham J. Heschel clearly tells us that when we sin we have sinned against
God.8 The psalmist clearly agrees in verse 4.
The danger of a naı̈ve interpretation of verse 4 is obvious because when we
appear to say that sin is a personal matter between the sinner and God we
dramatically limit sin’s power. In other words, we make “cheap” sin. The
idea that sin is only against God is completely “inconceivable in the Old
Testament” because each and every sin damages the community in one way
or another.9 . One concrete example of this understanding can be found in
the psalm’s inscription. When King David states in II Samuel 12:13 that he
has not sinned against the Lord, this assertion does not mean that David did
not sin against Uriah and Bathsheba but instead David is acknowledging
that it is God who calls us to account for our sin.10

Psalm 51:5 I was born guilty – Christians have traditionally interpreted this verse
in a way, which assumes sin is transmitted from parent to child through re-
production.11 According to Mays, the view that procreation is sinful appears
6
Brown, Driver and Briggs, BDB, p. 306.
7
Limburg, Psalms, p. 172.
8
Abraham J. Heschel, The Prophets, Volume I, (Harper Torchbooks, 1975), p. 217.
9
James Luther Mays; Idem, Jr. Patrick D. Miller and Paul J. Achtemeir, editors, Psalms, In-
terpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching edition. (John Knox Press, 1994),
p. 200.
10
Ibid.
11
Ibid., p. 201.

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 to be impossible to support using the Old Testament.12 Even when support-
ing this point, Mays and almost no one else would deny that the Old Tes-
tament tells us that humans are sinful. We hear in the flood story, found in
Genesis, that all are sinful (Genesis 6:15; 12). The Bible also informs us that
no one can be viewed as righteous when compared to God (Psalms 143:2,
Job 14:4; 15:14-16; 24:4).13
It is true that the prophets in exile have some references that associate sin
with birth or a parent (Ezekiel 16; 20; 23; especially Ezekiel 16:3; Isaiah

ĄĚ`ĘĽĂ̄
43:27, 48:8, 50:1).14 However, the underlying message from these prophets
seems to be that sin is a constant problem and not just an artifact that is
located at a specific time or location. Thus, verse 5 in Psalm 51 is making
a statement about the human’s sinful condition not how sin is transmitted
from parent to child through reproduction.15

Psalm 51:6 You desire truth in the inward being – Confession of sins is present
only in a very small percent of psalms of individual lament.16 Even rarer is
making confession the psalm’s central focus.17

Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop – The word translated as hyssop ( ) is

only used ten times in Old Testament (Exodus 12:22; Leviticus 14:4, 6,
49, 51, 52; Numbers 19:6, 18; 1 Kings 4:33; Psalms 51:7). BDB notes that
while the exact plant is not known, this herb is associated with cleaning.18
The first and arguably most important use of this herb is found in the Exodus
story. Here the Israelites are commanded to dip a bunch of this plant into the
12
Mays, Psalms, p. 201. The view that sin is a sexually transmitted disease is problematic today
since we are in an age that humans can be reproduced in new ways that do not require one male
and one female parent. Currently there is an embryo that has DNA from three humans. Will this
child have more original sin? We now have the ability to clone individuals. Would a cloned child
have less original sin since it only has one parent? In other words, do all humans have “original
sin” or is this sin only transmitted in the act of sexual reproduction. Adding to this confusion is
the mad rush to patent huge portions of our genes. In this rush to make money, has anyone thought
of cornering the market on sin by patenting the gene that causes sin? I know if I had this patent, I
would only want a fraction of a cent from everyone who sins.
13
Ibid.
14
Ibid.
15
Ibid.
16
Claus Westermann, The Psalms: Structure, Content and Message, (Augsburg Fortress, 1980),
p. 67.
17
Ibid.
18
Brown, Driver and Briggs, BDB, p. 23.

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 lamb’s blood and then throw the blood on the door’s lintel (Exodus 12:22).
This blood was a sign that an Israelite lived in the house and death did not
stop there to kill the first born males. The use of hyssop in Leviticus is for
cleaning the skin disease often translated as leprosy (Leviticus 14:4, 6, 49,
51, 52). Hyssop is mixed in the burnt offering of the red heifer (Numbers
19:6). Specifically, the heifer’s ashes are mixed with water and sprinkled on
the tent using hyssop (Numbers 19:17-18). The herb is also used in cleaning
a tent where a man has died (Numbers 19:18). In 1 Kings 4:33, Solomon
speaks wisdom to the hyssop, a little cedar, the cedars, and other plants. The
use in Psalm 51 then should remind the listener of two ideas: how death
passed over the houses of the Israelites and how the unclean are made clean
in the L ORD’s eyes.
Psalm 51:8 let the bones that you have crushed rejoice – There is real pain and
suffering caused in the world by the sin. This occurs because God continues
to let sin exist. Despite the problems that we cause, the psalmist asks for joy
to come into his life. So much in fact, that he sings about it.
Psalm 51:9 Hide your face from my sins – The L ORD cannot stand the sin we
create. The psalmist asks the L ORD to turn a blind eye to what he has already
done.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God – The confession of sin and
God’s forgiveness brings us this dramatic change because in the psalm,
the psalmist asks God to do something that only God can do, create a new
heart.1920
Psalm 51:11 Do not cast me away from your presence – The reality is that the
same One who created existence itself can also both stop reality and re-
move every trace of any individual. That is frightening. The psalmist asks
for God’s grace by remaning in the L ORD’s house.
Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation – For the psalmist, the actions
of teaching, singing, and praising all occur because of God’s forgiveness.21
and put a new and right spirit within me – The transformation continues
with confession seeking renewal.22
19
Mays, Psalms, p. 202.
20
Limburg, Psalms, p. 173.
21
Ibid.
22
Mays, Psalms, p. 202.

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 Psalm 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways – With forgiveness comes
the possibility of a new day, one where the psalmist can instruct others in
the way of life.

Psalm 51:14 Deliver me from bloodshed – Actions in this life can cause the death
of others either directly or indirectly. The author realizes this fact and prays
for deliverance.

Psalm 51:15 O L ORD, open my lips – The only way that any individual can praise
the L ORD is through God’s prior work.

Psalm 51:16 For you have no delight in sacrifice – A true sacrifice restricts a per-
son’s future by removing income or children from their financial equations.
God does not like to see anyone suffer. That is one of the reasons why the
psalmist states that God takes no pleasure from the pain of another.

Psalm 51:17 The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit – While the sac-
rificial system is in place during the Old Testament, a correct attitude are
enough for forgiveness.23

Psalm 51:18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure – The author’s attention
turns to the people of Israel.

Psalm 51:19

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Psalm 103:8-14

2 Corinthians 5:20b - 6:10

23
Terence E. Fretheim, The Suffering Of God: An Old Testament Perspective, (Fortress Press,
1984), p. 138.

5
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Matthew 6:1 piety – The Greek word translated as piety δικαιοσύνη is translated
elsewhere as righteousness.

Matthew 6:2 you give alms – The term translated as alms is from the Greek
ἐλεημοσύνην can mean either alms or mercy (see Matthew 9:13; 12:27).24
The context demands the translation of alms. The Old Testament tells us
that we must aid the poor and it also contains methods for feeding those in
need (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 24:19-22).25
trumpet before you More than likely this is hyperbole and not what actually
happened.26
the hypocrites – This is an actor who plays behind a mask. In Matthew, it
also carries a sense of having a greater importance than others and using
different means to attract attention to yourself.27

Matthew 6:3 do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing –
There is no record of this saying in any collection of proverbs.28

Matthew 6:4 your Father who sees in secret will reward you – When this reward
is only taken to be sometime in the next life, Christianity degrades into a
gambling match that pays out when you die.

Matthew 6:5 they love to stand and pray in the synagogues – One could take
this to mean that only private prayer is to be practiced by Christians. The
section may instead indicate that Christians should not make private prayer
into a public spectacle.29 Of course, what distinguishes public from private
prayer?

Matthew 6:6

Matthew 6:7-15 Missing from the lectionary section is the direction on how not
to pray (do not make sounds like babies) and how to pray (Our Father).
24
?, .
25
?, .
26
?, .
27
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28
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29
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 The missing verses also have a warning that forgiveness is contingent on
forgiving others.

Matthew 6:16 And whenever you fast – The only required fast in the Torah is
on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:31; 23:26-32).30 Fasting also oc-
curred at other times of the year. Some examples would include national
emergencies or when these times were remembered.31

Matthew 6:17 put oil on your head – This means that one should anoint your
head ἄλειψαί σου τὴν κεφαλὴν. The pouring of oil indicated richness and
happiness.32

Matthew 6:18

Matthew 6:19

Matthew 6:20 treasures in heaven – See 4 Ezra 7:77; 8:33; 8:36; 2 Baruch 14:12;
24:1; Tobias 4:8-9.33
Treasure in Matthew: ωκαὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ
Μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ πεσόντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνοίξαν-
τες τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶν προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ δῶρα χρυσὸν καὶ λίβα-
νον καὶ σμύρναν Matthew 2:11 μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς
γῆς ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσιν καὶ
κλέπτουσιν Matthew 6:19 θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ ὅπου
οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ
κλέπτουσιν Matthew 6:20 ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρός σου ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ
ἡ καρδία σου Matthew 6:21 ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ
ἐκβάλλει ἀγαθά καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκ-
βάλλει πονηρά Matthew 12:35 ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν θη-
σαυρῷ κεκρυμμένῳ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ ὃν εὑρὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔκρυψεν καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς
χαρᾶς αὐτοῦ ὑπάγει καὶ πωλεῖ πάντα ὅσα ἔχει καὶ ἀγοράζει τὸν ἀγρὸν
ἐκεῖνον Matthew 13:44 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς διὰ τοῦτο πᾶς γραμματεὺς μα-
θητευθεὶς τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδεσπότῃ
ὅστις ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ αὐτοῦ καινὰ καὶ παλαιά Matthew 13:52
30
?, .
31
?, .
32
?, .
33
?, .

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 ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι ὕπαγε πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρ-
χοντα καὶ δὸς τοῖς πτωχοῖς καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ δεῦρο
ἀκολούθει μοι Matthew 19:21

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – People
pay attention to where they put their investments.

References
Brown, F., Driver, S. and Briggs, C., editors, The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew
And English Lexicon, (Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1999).

Fretheim, Terence E., The Suffering Of God: An Old Testament Perspective,

(Fortress Press, 1984).

Heschel, Abraham J., The Prophets, Volume I, (Harper Torchbooks, 1975).

Limburg, James; Miller, Patrick D. and Barlett, David L., editors, Psalms, (West-
minister John Knox Press, 2000), Westminister Bible Companion.

Mays, James Luther; Idem, Patrick D. Miller, Jr. and Achtemeir, Paul J., edi-
tors, Psalms, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preach-
ing edition. (John Knox Press, 1994).

Westermann, Claus, The Psalms: Structure, Content and Message, (Augsburg

Fortress, 1980), Original German edition published in 1967 under the title
Der Psalter, copyright Calver Verlag Stuttgart.