Psalm 51

Psalms · Chapter 51

Psalms 51:1

1Have 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
to the choirmasterלַמְנַצֵּ֗חַlam-na-TZE-achH5329
to conduct

נָצַח (na.tsach) 1) to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring 1a) (Niphal) enduring (participle) 1b) (Piel) to act as overseer or superintendent or director or chief Aramaic equivalent: ne.tsach (נְצַח "to distinguish oneself" H5330)

a psalmמִזְמ֥וֹרmiz-MORH4210
melody

מִזְמוֹר (miz.mor) melody, psalm

of Davidלְדָוִֽד׃le-da-VIDH1732
David

דָּוִד (da.vid) A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17; son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I); brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339); …

when cameבְּֽבוֹא־be-VO'-H0935G
to come (in): come

בּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put

to himאֵ֭לָיו'E-lavH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Nathanנָתָ֣ןna-TANH5416H
Nathan

נָתָן (na.tan) A prophet living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.7.2; father of: Azariah (H5838H), Zabud (H2071) § Nathan = "giver" 1) a son of David by Bathsheba 2) the eminent prophet in the time of David and Solomon 3) a man of Zobah, father of one of David's mighty warriors 4) father of Azariah who was over the officers of Solomon 5) son of Attai and father of Zabad of the tribe of Judah 6) brother of Joel of the tribe of Judah 7) one of the head men who returned from Babylon with Ezra 8) a man with a foreign wife in the time of Ezra …

the prophetהַנָּבִ֑יאha-na-VI'H5030
prophet

נְבִיא (ne.vi) prophet Aramaic of na.vi (נָבִיא "prophet" H5030)

just whenכַּֽאֲשֶׁר־ka-'a-SHER-H0834D
as which

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) conj 1) according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

he had goneבָּ֝֗אBa'H0935G
to come (in): come

בּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put

intoאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Bath-בַּת־bat-H1339
Bathsheba

בַּת־שֶׁ֫בַע (bat-she.va) A woman living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.11.3; daughter of: Eliam (H0463); married to David (H1732) and Uriah (H0223A); mother of: Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416) and Solomon (H8010); also called Bath-shua at 1Ch.3.5; Also named: bat-shu.a (בַּת־שׁוּעַ "Bath-shua" H1340) § Bath-sheba = "daughter of an oath" the wife of Uriah whom David had murdered, having had adulterous relations with her; subsequently wife of David and mother of Solomon, Shimea, Shobab, and Nathan

-shebaשָֽׁבַע׃SHA-va'H1339
Bathsheba

בַּת־שֶׁ֫בַע (bat-she.va) A woman living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.11.3; daughter of: Eliam (H0463); married to David (H1732) and Uriah (H0223A); mother of: Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416) and Solomon (H8010); also called Bath-shua at 1Ch.3.5; Also named: bat-shu.a (בַּת־שׁוּעַ "Bath-shua" H1340) § Bath-sheba = "daughter of an oath" the wife of Uriah whom David had murdered, having had adulterous relations with her; subsequently wife of David and mother of Solomon, Shimea, Shobab, and Nathan

show favor to meחָנֵּ֣נִיcho-ne-niH2603A
to entreat

חַנּוֹת (chan.not) verb 1) (Qal) (TWOT) to intreat, to pity, be gracious n fem pl 2) (Qal) (CLBL) gracious

O Godאֱלֹהִ֣ים'E-lo-HIMH0430G
God

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

according to covenant loyalty yourכְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָke-chas-DE-khaH2617A
kindness

חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) goodness, kindness, faithfulness

according to [the] greatness ofכְּרֹ֥בke-ROH7230
abundance

רֹב (rov) 1) multitude, abundance, greatness 1a) multitude 1a1) abundance, abundantly 1a2) numerous 1b) greatness

compassions yourרַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָra-cha-MEI-khaH7356B
compassion

רַחֲמִים (ra.cha.mim) compassion Aramaic equivalent: re.chem (רַחֲמִין "compassion" H7359)

wipe outמְחֵ֣הme-CHEHH4229A
to wipe

מָחָה (ma.chah) 1) to wipe, wipe out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to wipe 1a2) to blot out, obliterate 1a3) to blot out, exterminate 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be wiped out 1b2) to be blotted out 1b3) to be exterminated 1c) (Hiphil) to blot out (from memory)

transgressions myפְשָׁעָֽי׃fe-sha-'AIH6588
transgression

פֶּ֫שַׁע (pe.sah) 1) transgression, rebellion 1a1) transgression (against individuals) 1a2) transgression (nation against nation) 1a3) transgression (against God) 1a3a) in general 1a3b) as recognised by sinner 1a3c) as God deals with it 1a3d) as God forgives 1a4) guilt of transgression 1a5) punishment for transgression 1a6) offering for transgression

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.