How do we attend to our sins? In Psalm 51 we explore the themes of contrition and forgiveness through the life of the biblical figure of King David. How does the monarch respond to his wrongdoing? What does it take or him to own up to his guilt? What can we learn from this legendary figure and those in his inner circle?
Andrew Davis PhD
The psalm’s words of contrition and request for forgiveness apply not only to [King] David but also to us. Like David, we are called to acknowledge the ways we have failed to live out the faithfulness and justice God exemplifies and to ask God to respond to our failures with compassion. It is not easy to admit when we are wrong; it was certainly not easy for David, who had to be tricked by Nathan into recognizing his guilt! But Psalm 51 promises that such contrition can be the basis of renewed relationship with God. Read more.
1 For the leader. A psalm of David, 2 when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had come to Bathsheba. 3 Have mercy upon me, O God,
as befits Your faithfulness;
in keeping with Your abundant compassion,
blot out my transgressions. 4 Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity,
and purify me of my sin; 5 for I recognize my transgressions,
and am ever conscious of my sin. 6 Against You alone have I sinned,
and done what is evil in Your sight;
so You are just in Your sentence,
and right in Your judgment. 7 Indeed I was born with iniquity;
with sin my mother conceived me. 8 Indeed You desire truth about that which is hidden;
teach me wisdom about secret things. 9 Purge me with hyssop till I am pure;
wash me till I am whiter than snow. 10 Let me hear tidings of joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed exult. 11 Hide Your face from my sins;
blot out all my iniquities. 12 Fashion a pure heart for me, O God;
create in me a steadfast spirit. 13 Do not cast me out of Your presence,
or take Your holy spirit away from me. 14 Let me again rejoice in Your help;
let a vigorous spirit sustain me. 15 I will teach transgressors Your ways,
that sinners may return to You. 16 Save me from bloodguilt,
O God, God, my deliverer,
that I may sing forth Your beneficence. 17 O Lord, open my lips,
and let my mouth declare Your praise. 18 You do not want me to bring sacrifices;
You do not desire burnt offerings; 19 True sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit;
God, You will not despise
a contrite and crushed heart. 20 May it please You to make Zion prosper;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 21 Then You will want sacrifices offered in righteousness,
burnt and whole offerings;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
1 For the leader. A psalm of David, 2 when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
3 Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love;
in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions. 4 Thoroughly wash away my guilt;
and from my sin cleanse me. 5 For I know my transgressions;
my sin is always before me. 6 Against you, you alone have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your eyes
So that you are just in your word,
and without reproach in your judgment. 7 Behold, I was born in guilt,
in sin my mother conceived me. 8 Behold, you desire true sincerity;
and secretly you teach me wisdom. 9 Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 10 You will let me hear gladness and joy;
the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
11 Turn away your face from my sins;
blot out all my iniquities. 12 A clean heart create for me, God;
renew within me a steadfast spirit. 13 Do not drive me from before your face,
nor take from me your holy spirit. 14 Restore to me the gladness of your salvation;
uphold me with a willing spirit. 15 I will teach the wicked your ways,
that sinners may return to you. 16 Rescue me from violent bloodshed, God, my saving God,
and my tongue will sing joyfully of your justice. 17 Lord, you will open my lips;
and my mouth will proclaim your praise. 18 For you do not desire sacrifice or I would give it;
a burnt offering you would not accept. 19 My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.
20 Treat Zion kindly according to your good will;
build up the walls of Jerusalem. 21 Then you will desire the sacrifices of the just,
burnt offering and whole offerings;
then they will offer up young bulls on your altar.
1 Ten piedad de mí, oh Dios,
conforme a tu gran amor;
conforme a tu misericordia,
borra mis transgresiones. 2 Lávame de toda mi maldad
y límpiame de mi pecado.
3 Yo reconozco mis transgresiones;
siempre tengo presente mi pecado. 4 Contra ti he pecado, solo contra ti,
y he hecho lo que es malo ante tus ojos;
por eso, tu sentencia es justa
y tu juicio, irreprochable. 5 Yo sé que soy pecador de nacimiento;
pecador, desde que me concibió mi madre. 6 Yo sé que tú amas la verdad en lo íntimo;
en lo secreto me has enseñado sabiduría.
7 Purifícame con hisopo y quedaré limpio;
lávame y quedaré más blanco que la nieve. 8 Anúnciame gozo y alegría;
infunde gozo en estos huesos que has quebrantado. 9 Aparta tu rostro de mis pecados
y borra toda mi maldad.
10 Crea en mí, oh Dios, un corazón limpio
y renueva un espíritu firme dentro de mí. 11 No me alejes de tu presencia
ni me quites tu Santo Espíritu. 12 Devuélveme la alegría de tu salvación;
que un espíritu de obediencia me sostenga.
13 Así enseñaré a los transgresores tus caminos,
y los pecadores se volverán a ti. 14 Dios mío, Dios de mi salvación,
líbrame de derramar sangre
y mi lengua alabará tu justicia. 15 Abre, Señor, mis labios
y mi boca proclamará tu alabanza. 16 Tú no te deleitas en los sacrificios
ni te complacen los holocaustos;
de lo contrario, te los ofrecería. 17 El sacrificio que te agrada
es un espíritu quebrantado;
tú, oh Dios, no desprecias
al corazón quebrantado y arrepentido.
18 En tu buena voluntad, haz que prospere Sión;
levanta los muros de Jerusalén. 19 Entonces te agradarán los sacrificios de justicia,
los holocaustos del todo quemados,
y sobre tu altar se ofrecerán novillos.
Entering the Psalm
By Andrew Davis, PhD
Within Christian tradition, Psalm 51 is part of a set of penitential psalms, which also includes Psalms 6, 32, 38, 102, 130, and 143. These psalms were grouped together and designated in this way because they all express contrition and ask God for forgiveness. The superscription of Psalm 51 invites us to imagine this contrition in the mouth of David after the prophet Nathan exposed his violation of Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Samuel 11-12). Although this superscription was a later addition to the psalm, it is easy to see why an editor connected it to David. His confession in 12:13 (“I have sinned against YHWH”) matches the confession in verse 6 the psalm (“I have sinned against you”). Also, the appeal to God’s “faithfulness” (Heb. ḥesed) in verse 3 calls to mind the ḥesed that was the basis of YHWH’s relationship with the house of David (2 Samuel 7:15).
For these reasons, 2 Samuel 12 is an attractive setting for Psalm 51, but we should not let our imagination stop there. For the psalm’s words of contrition and request for forgiveness apply not only to David but also to us. Like David, we are called to acknowledge the ways we have failed to live out the faithfulness and justice God exemplifies and to ask God to respond to our failures with compassion. It is not easy to admit when we are wrong; it was certainly not easy for David, who had to be tricked by Nathan into recognizing his guilt! But Psalm 51 promises that such contrition can be the basis of renewed relationship with God.
Structurally, Psalm 51 breaks into two halves; the first (verses 3-11) asks for forgiveness and the second (verses 12-19) describes the effects of that forgiveness. The first half is framed by the repetition of the verbs “blot out (mḥh),” “wash (kbs),” and “purify/purge (ḥṭ’)” in verses 3-4 and 9-11. The second half is framed by repetition of “heart,” “God,” and “spirit” in verses 12 and 19. Taken together, the two trios capture well the basic movement of the psalm from penance to renewal.
The last two verses of the psalm (verses 20-21) are usually considered a later addition to the psalm because of the way they qualify verses 18-19. There, the speaker claimed that a contrite spirit is the true sacrifice God desires, but the new ending promises that animal sacrifices will resume when the Temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem. This addendum was probably written in the wake of the Babylonian Exile (586-539 BCE), as returning Judeans looked forward to the restoration of their traditional worship back in Jerusalem.
The two later additions to Psalm 51 (the superscription and the new ending) are typical of the way biblical texts developed over time. For modern readers this development can be a challenge, and for people of faith it can seem to diminish the inspired quality of the Bible. For me, however, learning about the growth of biblical texts has had the opposite effect because they show us that these texts were part of a living tradition. Communities of faith read these texts, prayed with them, and actualized them in their own lives. To see evidence of this process within the Bible itself is to see the power of the words for generations of Jewish readers and to be invited to a similar engagement in our own reading of these words.
Discussion Questions on Psalm 51
Based on your tradition and/or life experiences, what does the word “sin” mean to you?
Think about a time when you forgave someone else. What was that process like?
How is asking for forgiveness from the Divine different than or similar to asking for forgiveness from a person?
The psalm speaks of reconciliation on an individual level. How might we apply this to communal or societal affairs?
Featured Commentary
"Lev Tahor" by Dan Nichols
Dan Nichols is a product of the Union for Reform Judaism’s camping movement. He has toured Jewish summer camps across North America for the last 15 years…
As you read (below) and view Yoni Battat and Leah Carnow’s interpretation of the psalm (above), consider the following question:
Can you recall an experience of feeling cast out or alienated? What role, if any, did prayer play in relieving your pain?
Music by Yoni Battat and Leah Carnow Words from Psalm 51:13-14 (NJPS)
אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי מִלְּפָנֶ֑יךָ וְר֥וּחַ קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ אַל־תִּקַּ֥ח מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ Do not cast me out of Your presence, or take Your holy spirit away from me.
הָשִׁ֣יבָה לִּ֭י שְׂשׂ֣וֹן יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וְר֖וּחַ נְדִיבָ֣ה תִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃ Let me again rejoice in Your help; let a vigorous spirit sustain me.
Leah Carnow is a rabbinical student in her second year of school at Hebrew College. Originally from Los Angeles, Leah has lived in the Boston area for ten years, where she also teaches yoga and works as the Rabbinic Intern and Vocalist at Temple Sinai in Brookline. Prior to beginning rabbinical school, Leah worked in regional and fringe theater as an actor and director. During the summer of 2020, she served as the rabbinic intern for the PsalmSeason project.
Yoni Avi Battat is a Boston-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer specializing in contemporary and traditional Jewish music from Eastern Europe and the Middle East. He has performed around the world with artists such as Yair Dalal, Shai Tsabari, and Nava Tehila. Yoni received his Bachelor’s from Brandeis University and Master’s from Boston University, studying classical viola performance and composition alongside Yiddish and Arabic language. He also studied oud and violin extensively in Jerusalem, where he focused on Arabic maqam (mode systems) and piyutim (Jewish liturgical poems). He performs regularly with his Yiddish Jazz band “Two Shekel Swing.”
When I recently reread this psalm, I was immediately transported back to Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City, Missouri, where I was once a member of the youth choir. When we would line up to process into the sanctuary, the choir director would lead us in prayer by chanting “O God open thou our lips” (Ps 51:15). And the choir would joyously respond in an expanding four-part harmony, “and our mouth shall show forth thy praise!” It was glorious and left a lasting impression on me.
Yet, when reading the rest of the psalm, the sense of joy and praise so vividly associated in my mind with verse 15 is nowhere to be found. It is, in fact, a text of deep anguish, of brutal honesty about one’s shortcomings, and a recognition of our utter dependence on God. As a relatively newly ordained pastor, such an emphasis feels very much on point, especially since the superscription that introduces the text connects it to King David, one of the legendary leaders in the Bible and in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim thought.
Psalm 51 makes it clear that all human beings fail—including monarchs and simple folk alike. Hard as we might try, we will make mistakes and it is crucial to be honest with ourselves and others about this fact. Some of these failings are bigger or more severe than others, all of them require us to take responsibility for our actions. This psalm, as with many within the Psalter, is also intensely personal: “Have mercy on me, O God,” “I know my transgressions,” “Do not cast me away from your presence.” It invites each reader to reflect on her own life situation openly. Yet, it is not exclusively focused on the individual in relation to God.
The psalmist is also conscious of her connection to the broader community. The poet implores God to cleanse her heart and to fill her with a renewed, steadfast, and willing spirit so that she can help other transgressors—i.e., all people—to return to God. Hearkening back to the blessing God bestowed upon Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “And by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:18), this psalm helps us understand that only by being truthful with ourselves and with God can we support others on their journeys. We must each do our own internal work if we wish to be a “blessing” to others.
In this light, the connection to King David becomes even more important. What does it mean to lift up such a flawed human being as God’s “anointed one” and for God to remain steadfastly committed to this king and his progeny even when he has committed egregious sins? According to the text in 2 Samuel 12, while David needed to be prodded into repentance, he quickly admitted that his behavior was repugnant, declaring that he should be subject to severe punishment. This preamble to the psalm (a later literary addition) offers us an important lesson about our leaders: even one as exalted as King David did both great and terrible things. Neither the psalmist nor other narrators in the Hebrew Bible try to hide or deny that fact. That does not mean we should excuse or emulate such bad behavior. All people must be held accountable for their actions, regardless of rank or station. But it also means we cannot erase the good things flawed leaders do. It is damaging both to the individual and to the community to construct a simple narrative about a person when a more complex one is necessary. This leads to the creation of a warped, cartoon-like culture in which there are only heroes and villains, with little room for honest and hard-working people to strive, to falter, and to grow. As the Book of Psalms demonstrates in its totality, real life includes joy, anger, regret, longing, and praise.
This is a lesson that we need to internalize in our own time and place. We should be careful not to hold too tightly to mythologies that flatten and overly simplify the complicated story of our nation, past, or present. As King David and the psalmist remind us, we must be honest in telling our personal and collective stories. What can we celebrate and what must we lament (often we need to do both together)?
To achieve a “clean heart” and a “renewed spirit” we must weigh and measure our successes and our failures as transparently as possible and take responsibility for our actions. The founders of the United States, for example, were deeply flawed human beings, just like each one of us. The origins of this country include a bold liberative vision, but also the unconscionable trafficking of human beings and the horrors of slave labor. To forget, deny, or minimize these facts is to sin, like David did, against God and against our fellow human beings. Cultivating a more holistic view of life invites us to hold more appropriate measures of humility and pride, challenging us to be both compassionate and critical in our assessment of our forebears, leaders, neighbors, and selves.
Tom Reid is the associate director of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership of Hebrew College. A graduate of Boston University School of Theology (MDiv, 2019), he is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Previously, Tom spent over ten years working in cleantech, innovation, environmental and green building consulting, and business education.
Discussion Questions:
How do you feel about King David serving as the model for repentance in this psalm?
In the Book of 2 Samuel, it’s the prophet who nudges the king to admit wrongdoing. Who are the people in your life that keep you honest?
Inspired by the words of the psalmist, I sought to express the major themes of the psalm using personal imagery. In so doing, I was able to reflect on my own sinfulness and to ask to experience joy and gladness once again. The image of the heart is, in part, connected with a recent physical health challenge but also the relationship with my father, including his past health issues. Seemingly detached here visually, the heart is the focus of the request to be made pure once again.
Discussion Questions
What images do you see in this artwork? Why do you think the artist chose them? How might they relate to the themes of the psalm?
If you were to select contemporary or personal images with which to interpret this psalm, what would they be?
About the Artist
John Bergmeier is an American artist who received his BA in Studio Arts from Hastings College, in Hastings, Nebraska, and his MFA in Printmaking and Drawing from Wichita State University, in Wichita, Kansas. Bergmeier has been employed as a commercial designer and design manager in the decorative films industry since 1992 and has continued to create artwork throughout this time in his home studios. He has exhibited internationally and has also taught studio art and graphic design classes at various colleges. He is currently working on prints and mixed media pieces in the studio space shared with his wife Carla in Waxhaw, North Carolina.
Entering the Psalm
Psalm 51: The Whole Truth