Blogging the Psalms

Blogging the Psalms -- psalm 51

Psalm 51

This is one of the most famous guilt psalms. The introductory note to the psalm states that David wrote it when he was told by Nathan the prophet that God had seen David’s adultery with his friend’s wife and murder of his friend.

Nathan is the unsung hero of this encounter. It must’ve been difficult to go to a murderous king and tell him his sin. But Nathan did just that. David must’ve hardened his heart against God a little in order to murder his friend. Then, God had seemingly been silent while David committed adultery and plotted the murder of Bathsheba’s husband. Who knows how long David would have continued in this state of sin? Did David think that he had gotten away with murder because God had not challenged him in a timely manner? Did David think God would forgive him because Uriah was merely a Gentile?

So, David didn’t write this psalm until he knew he realized God had seen his sin. Ah, humans! Guilt is an interesting thing.

In Hebrew, the word for guilt and punishment are the same thing. In Job 19:29, Lamentations 4:6, 22, 1 Samuel 28:3-5, Genesis 4:13 we see the word being used. Guilt can be its own punishment but sometimes guilt is a moral and emotional consequence while punishment is the spiritual and social consequence. As Derek Prince says, “We don’t break God’s laws; God’s laws break us. No one destroys the law of gravity but breaking the law of gravity has destroyed many.” Jesus not only freed us from guilt but from guiltiness.

There is a necessity for confession of sins to God. Confession brings freedom, healing, power, and joy. Confession also brings reconciliation to God and allows God’s Presence to return. This in turn gives us power over the sin.  

Notice that David writes: “Only you have I sinned against.” This seems strange to me. David writes: “I was conceived in iniquity” which might be an acknowledgement of man’s tendency to sin or an acknowledgement of some unknown sin of his mother but it might also be David’s way of shifting the blame by implicitly saying humans are weak. 

Still, the fact that he writes that he has sinned against God but not that he has sinned against Uriah bothers me. It is definitely true that when we sin against another, it is also likely that we have sinned against God. After all, God wrote the ten commandments. Yet, I can imagine David avoiding the hurt he has caused Uriah by thinking of his sin as a sin committed only against God. 

Forgiveness is a complicated thing. The way the church has generally preached forgiveness, the would-be forgiver often feels as if forgiving a wrongdoer is equivalent to letting the wrongdoer off the hook. After all, Jesus did say that if we forgive a sin on earth then the sin is also forgiven in heaven. But does this mean that as long as I ask God to forgive me, then it doesn’t matter if I have wounded an earthly person? Or does it mean that if we forgive someone who has committed a sin against us, then God must also forgive that person’s sin against the Godhead as well?  

One of the most important verses in this psalm is “Cast me not away from Thy presence and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.” This was David’s ultimate fear. This was the fear that came into him after Nathan rebuked him. David saw how close he came to being utterly lost if Nathan had not challenged him. He saw his own evil and his need for God. 

1{To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.} Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4Against 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.

5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.