Psalm 51, Part 1: The Penitent’s Psalm

Psalm 51 “is a penitential psalm. . . . It was composed by David ‘after his great sin [with Bath-sheba], in the anguish of remorse and self-abhorrence.’. . . It is an expression of his ‘repentance, when the message of reproof came to him from God,’ intended ‘to be sung in the public assemblies of his people, . . . that others might be instructed by the sad history of his fall.’. . . It is a prayer for forgiveness and for sanctification through the Holy Spirit.” David realized the depths to which he had sunk. He was inconsolable in the anguish he felt because he had sinned against God and his fellow man. He, therefore, sought to blame no one but himself.

The language of his psalm is beautiful! “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest” (Psalm 51:1–4).

While acknowledging he had sinned against Uriah and Bath-sheba, David also recognized all sin is really sin against God. David realized he shared the sinful propensities all members of the human race possess (v. 5), but he was confident God would forgive him and cleanse his sinful heart (Ezekiel 36:26). But asking for forgiveness with the intention of repeating the same sin is insincerity in its most scandalous form. David realized he had grieved the Holy Spirit, and so he pleaded for the Spirit’s return (Psalm 51:11).

He wanted his burden of guilt lifted so he might feel the joy he once felt (v. 12).

Recognizing salvation comes only from God (v. 14), David requests deliverance from the burden of sin weighing him down. Verse 17 sums up all David can offer the Lord in the way of an acceptable sacrifice—“a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart.” “Trusting only in Thy merit, / Would I seek Thy face; / Heal my wounded, broken spirit, / Save me by Thy grace.”