Psalms 51:1–4
David, after his fall, asks God to wipe out his wrongdoing
Study it word by word1For the director. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Show me favor, Elohim, according to your loyal love; according to the abundance of your mercies blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and from my sin make me clean.
3For my transgressions I know, and my sin is before me always.
4Against you, against you alone, I have sinned, and what is evil in your eyes I have done, so that you may be righteous when you speak, pure when you judge.
In its context
…
5Look, in iniquity I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me.
6Look, you delight in truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part you make me know wisdom.
Its words in the original
- מְנַצֵּחַmenatseach· direct, oversee
Direct: be in charge of a work or of the music of worship. From this word comes the title "for the director" of many psalms.
- מִזְמוֹרmizmor· psalm
Psalm: a song sung with instruments. It is the title of many of the poems in the book of Psalms.
- דָוִדdavid· David
David, youngest son of Jesse, of Bethlehem; the second king of Israel. The name means "beloved."
- בוֹאvo· come, go in, bring
Come, arrive, go in, enter. In the causative form, "bring" or "carry in". "Go in to" a woman is to have marital relations with her.
- נָתָןnatan· Nathan
Nathan: the name of several men; the best known are a son of David born in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:14) and the prophet who spoke to David (2 Samuel 7; 12). It means "he has given."
- נָּבִיאnavi· prophet
Prophet: a person to whom God speaks and who speaks in his name; he also intercedes for others.
- בַּתbat· Bathsheba
Bathsheba: wife of Uriah the Hittite and then of David; mother of Solomon (2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 1). It means "daughter of the oath."
- חָנֵּchane· be gracious
Show favor: treat someone with a kindness he has not earned; have compassion. In another form, plead for favor.
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- חַסְדֶּchasde· loyal love
"Chesed": love that stays faithful to a commitment. It is kindness that does not remain a feeling: it acts in favor of the other and does not abandon him. The Bible says it above all of God's love for his people.
- רֹבrov· abundance
Abundance, great number; greatness.
- רַחֲמֶיrachame· compassion
Deep compassion, tender mercy like that of a mother; also the womb.
- מְחֵהmeche· wipe out, blot out
Wipe out, blot out, remove completely, as one wipes a written tablet clean.
- פְשָׁעָfeshaa· transgression
A serious wrong against someone: rebellion, transgression.
- הֶרֶבherev· multiply, increase
Become many, increase in number or amount; multiply. In the causative form, make many, do much.
- כַּבְּסֵkabse· wash
Wash clothes (by treading them in water).
- עֲוֺנִavoni· iniquity
Iniquity: wickedness, a serious wrong. The same word covers the wrong, the guilt it leaves and the punishment it brings.
- חַטָּאתִchatati· sin, sin offering
Sin: missing the mark of what God asks; also the guilt and the punishment. In the laws the same word also names the sacrifice offered for sin.
- טַהֲרֵtahare· be clean
Be clean, purify oneself: get ready to come before God; also pronounce clean.
- אֵדָעeda· know
Know. Not only having a fact: it is knowing by experience and closely; also recognize, care for, make known. So Hebrew also uses it for the intimate union of a man and his wife ("he knew his wife").
- נֶגְדִּnegdi· in front of, counterpart
In front of, opposite, before. The full phrase "as in front of him" means someone who corresponds to him, a counterpart.
- תָמִידtamid· continually
Continually, always; what is done regularly and without interruption. As a noun, the regular daily offering.
- בַדְּvad· alone, apart; pole
Alone, apart; "besides". The same word (in another sense) means "pole", like the ones for carrying the ark, or a branch.
- חָטָאתִיchatati· sin
Sin: miss the mark of what God asks, do wrong. In another form of the verb, "purify" from sin; also bear the loss.
- רַעra· evil, bad, harm
Bad; evil. It includes what is morally wrong and also what does harm: misfortune, disaster, distress.
- עֵינֶיene· eye
Eye. "In someone's eyes" means "in his opinion"; "find favor in the eyes of" is to please him. Also a spring of water.
- עָשִׂיתִיasiti· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- תִּצְדַּקtitsdak· be righteous, justify
Be in the right, be righteous; in another form, declare righteous, justify.
- דָבְרֶdavre· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- תִּזְכֶּהtizke· be pure, be clean
To be pure, clean, clear; figuratively, to be innocent.
- שָׁפְטֶshafte· judge
Judge: decide who is in the right and do him justice; also punish. Also rule, govern.