Bible Commentary

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. 15. open thou ] Lit. as P.B. V., thou shalt open, i.e. when thou openest. Not the occasion for praise only, but the power to praise aright is the gift of God. Cp. Psa 40:3. In this verse and the preceding … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:15”

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: [and] my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 14. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness ] From the power and the punishment of my sin. Cp. Psa 39:8; Psa 40:12. No doubt ‘bloodguiltiness’ may include all ‘mortal sin,’ for which death was the punishment (see … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:14”

[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 … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:13”

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me [with thy] free spirit. 12. Restore &c.] For sin has destroyed that assurance of God’s help which is ever a ground of rejoicing (Psa 9:14; Psa 13:5; Psa 20:5; Psa 35:9). He prays for that deliverance which he is confident ( Psa 51:8) that … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:12”

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 11. The upright “behold God’s face” (Psa 11:7): He admits them to His presence for ever (Psa 41:12). The spirit of Jehovah came upon David, as it departed from Saul (1Sa 16:13-14). Did David fear that he might share the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:11”

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 10. Create in me ] Rather, Create me, i.e. for me. The word is used of the creative operation of God, bringing into being what did not exist before: and so in the parallel line renew should be rather make … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:10”

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 9. Hide thy face from my sins ] Cease to gaze upon them in displeasure. Cp. Psa 32:1; Psa 90:8. This use of the expression is unusual. Generally God is said to hide His face when He withdraws His favour (Psa 13:1; Psa … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:9”

Make me to hear joy and gladness; [that] the bones [which] thou hast broken may rejoice. Make me to hear joy and gladness – That is, the voice of forgiveness, causing joy and rejoicing. What he wished to hear was the kind voice of God in pronouncing his pardon; not the voice of anger and … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:8”

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 7, 8. The verbs in these verses may be regarded as optatives ( mayest thou purge me), but it is preferable to render them as futures: Thou shalt purge me thou shalt wash me thou shalt make … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:7”

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden [part] thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 6. truth in the inward parts ] In the most secret springs of thought and will, unseen by man but known to God, He desires truth, perfect sincerity, whole-hearted devotion, incapable of deluding self, as … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 51:6”