Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:13
[Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
13. Having experienced the joy of penitence and restoration, he will endeavour to instruct transgressors in the ways of Jehovah in which they have refused to walk (Isa 42:24), those commandments which they have refused to keep, so that they may return to Him from Whom they have gone astray. Psalms 32 has been thought to be the fulfilment of this resolution. This resolve is however, it is said, “little appropriate to David, whose natural and right feeling in connexion with his great sin must rather have been that of silent humiliation than of an instant desire to preach his forgiveness to other sinners.” But surely an endeavour to undo the evil effects of a sin whereby he “had given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme” would be one of the most fitting fruits of repentance.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
13 17. Resolutions of thanksgiving.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways – As an expression of gratitude, and as the result of his own painful experience. He would show them, from that experience, the evil and the bitterness of sin in itself; he would show them with what dreadful consequences sin must always be followed; he would show them the nature of true repentance; he would show them what was required in order that sin might be forgiven; he would encourage them to come to that God who had forgiven him. So the Saviour charged Peter, from his own bitter experience in having fallen under the power of temptation, to strengthen and encourage those who were struggling with the depravity of their own hearts, and who were in danger of falling: And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren, Luk 22:32.
And sinners shall be converted unto thee – They would see from his case the evil of transgression; they would learn from his example that mercy might be found; they would be persuaded to flee from the wrath to come. The best preparation for success in winning souls to God, and turning them from the error of their ways, is a deep personal experience of the guilt and the danger of sin, and of the great mercy of God in its forgiveness. No man can hope to be successful who has not experienced this in his own soul; no one who has, will labor wholly in vain in such a work.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. Then will I teach transgressors] I will show myself to be grateful; I will testify of thy loving-kindness; I will call on transgressors to consider the error of their ways; and shall set before them so forcibly thy justice and mercy, that sinners shall be converted unto thee. With a little change I can adopt the language of Dr. Delaney on this place: “Who can confide in his own strength, when he sees David fall? Who can despair of Divine mercy when he sees him forgiven? Sad triumph of sin over all that is great or excellent in man! Glorious triumph of grace over all that is shameful and dreadful in sin!”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thy ways; either,
1. Thy will and their duty, and the way to their eternal happiness; or rather,
2. The manner of thy dealing with sinners; whom thou dost so severely chastise for their sins, and yet so graciously receive to mercy upon their repentance; both which I will show them in my own example, which I will declare unto them, although I shall therewith publish my own shame; which I shall most willingly bear, that I may in some measure repair the injury which I have done to thee and others by my public and scandalous crimes.
Sinners shall be converted unto thee; and I persuade myself that my endeavours shall not want success; and that either thy justice or severity, or thy goodness and clemency, will bring them to repentance.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. ThenSuch will be theeffect of this gracious work.
waysof providence andhuman duty (Psa 18:21; Psa 18:30;Psa 32:8; Luk 22:32).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways,…. David was a prophet as well as a king; see Ac 2:30; and taught men the fear of the Lord, Ps 34:11, and instructed them in his ways, as he here promises he would; by which are meant, either the ways which God prescribes and directs men to walk in, as the paths of faith, holiness, and truth, and the ways of his commandments; or which he himself has walked in; meaning not the ways of his providence, which are sometimes past finding out; but the ways of his grace, the steps and methods he has taken in the salvation of men, by forming the scheme of it, by choosing unto it, by making a covenant with his Son, and appointing him to effect it; and particularly his ways and methods in receiving and pardoning backsliders, when returned by repentance to him; and who may be meant by “transgressors” here: and then the sense is, that David, upon his being received and pardoned, would teach others like himself how graciously God had dealt with him; how plenteous he is in mercy; how ready to forgive, and how faithful to his promises; and so encourage them to go to him, and acknowledge their transgressions, and seek pardoning grace at his hands, who does abundantly pardon, and whose ways are not as theirs; see Isa 55:7;
and sinners shall be converted unto thee: or “that sinners may be converted unto thee” p; this being the end of teaching by the word, and the means of the conversion of profane and unregenerate sinners, through the power of divine grace; though rather this seems to be understood of the conversion of God’s own people after backslidings, and not of first conversion; see Lu 22:32.
p “ut peccatores convertantur”, Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
13 I will teach transgressors thy ways Here he speaks of the gratitude which he would feel should God answer his prayer, and engages to show it by exerting himself in effecting the conversion of others by his example. Those who have been mercifully recovered from their falls will feel inflamed by the common law of charity to extend a helping hand to their brethren; and in general, such as are partakers of the grace of God are constrained by religious principle, and regard for the divine glory, to desire that others should be brought into the participation of it. The sanguine manner in which he expresses his expectation of converting others is not unworthy of our notice. We are too apt to conclude that our attempts at reclaiming the ungodly are vain and ineffectual, and forget that God is able to crown them with success.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) Shall be converted.Better, shall turn to thee. (See Note Psa. 50:23.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Will I teach transgressors Thus the psalmist would show forth his gratitude for that renewal and establishment in righteousness for which he agonizes. And for this he would be prepared only when he himself should be fully reinstated in the divine favour. How he fulfilled this promise is shown in some of his subsequent psalms, as Psalms 32, 40, , 103, which should be read in this connexion.
Thy ways The way of thy commandments.
Shall be converted Shall turn to thee. The verb is active, and is broadly significant of entire and hearty repentance. The example of his forgiveness should encourage others to repent.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 51:13. And sinners shall be converted unto thee i.e. “Be persuaded, by my declaring to them the mercy I have experienced in the forgiveness of my sins, to return to thee by repentance, that they also may obtain the pardon of their offences.” Happy for mankind, says Dr. Delaney, upon the consideration urged by David in this verse,that there is such an instance, an authentic instance, of falling virtue and recovering guilt; an instance, so fitted to mortify the vanity of virtue, and the excellence of exalted piety; to raise the power and preciousness of humble penitence, to abate the pride of self-sufficiency, and support the hope of frailty! Who can confide in his own strength when he sees a David fall! Who can despair of divine mercy when he sees him forgiven! Sad triumph of sin over all that is great and excellent in man! Glorious triumph of repentance [and grace] over all that is shameful and dreadful in sin! Book iv. c. 24.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
It is a blessed mark of real repentance, when, after our recovery, we do not scruple to tell others of our worthlessness, and the divine goodness in raising us up, thus preaching to others what the Lord hath done for our souls. Reader, think what everlasting preachers to this amount hath Peter, the Apostle, and David the Prophet been. How hath God in mercy over-ruled their fall to his glory and the comfort of thousands. So Jesus bid Peter, when he should be recovered, to strengthen his brethren; Luk 22:32 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 51:13 [Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Ver. 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways ] Instruunt nos Patres tum docentes, tum labentes, saith Augustine: Two ways the saints teach us. First, By their doctrine. Secondly, By their falls and failings. David had taught men this last way to his cost, that it is triste mortalitatis privilegium licere aliquando peccare; now he promiseth by his example and instruction to teach transgressors, those that are in the very bonds and hands of the devil, God’s ways of mercy to the penitent; and that they must either turn to God or burn for ever in hell.
And sinners shall be converted unto thee
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Then: Psa 32:5, Psa 32:8-10, Zec 3:1-8, Luk 22:32, Joh 21:15-17, Act 2:38-41, Act 9:19-22, 2Co 5:8-20
ways: Psa 25:4, Psa 25:8, Isa 2:3, Act 13:10
converted: Psa 19:7, Isa 6:10, Jer 31:18, Mat 18:3, Act 3:19, Act 15:3, Act 26:18-20, Jam 5:19, Jam 5:20
Reciprocal: 2Ch 17:7 – he sent Psa 32:6 – For this Psa 138:4 – when they hear Pro 15:7 – lips Rom 12:7 – or he
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 51:13. Then will I teach transgressors thy way Thy will and their duty, and the way to eternal happiness; or, rather, the manner of thy dealing with sinners, whom thou dost so severely chastise for their sins, and yet so graciously receive to mercy upon their repentance. Both which I will show them in my own example, for I will make known unto them my fall and recovery, through thy grace, although I shall thereby publish, not only thy goodness, but my own shame, which I shall most willingly bear, that I may, in some measure, repair the injury which I have done to thy cause and to my fellow-creatures, by my public and scandalous crimes. And sinners shall be converted unto thee I persuade myself that my endeavours shall not want success; and that either thy justice and severity on the one hand, or thy goodness and clemency on the other, will bring some sinners to repentance. Certainly, as Dr. Delaney observes in this verse, this instance of Davids miserable fall and happy restoration is well fitted to mortify the vanity and merit of human virtue, and to raise the power and price of humble penitence, to abate the pride of self-sufficiency, and support the hope of frailty! Who can confide in his own strength when he sees a David fall? Who can despair of divine mercy when he sees him forgiven? Sad triumph of sin over all that is great and excellent in man! Glorious triumph of repentance over all that is shameful and dreadful in sin! Book 4. chap. 24.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
51:13 [Then] will I teach transgressors thy {l} ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
(l) He promises to endeavour that others by his example may turn to God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
4. Promise of grateful service 51:13-17
David’s confession of his sins and prayer for inner renewal formed a basis for him to instruct sinners (Psa 51:13), praise Yahweh (Psa 51:14-15), and deepen his own commitment to the Lord (Psa 51:16-17).
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
The promises David made in this section of verses gave God reasons to grant forgiveness, so they were indirect requests for pardon. If forgiven, David would show others how God deals with penitent sinners. He would do this as an example, as well as verbally. Then sinners would turn to the Lord for deliverance.