Psalm 51 1

Psalm 51:1 kjv

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 51:1 nkjv

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 51:1 niv

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 51:1 esv

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 51:1 nlt

Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.

Psalm 51 verses

Psalm 51 1 Meaning

Psalm 51:1 is David's heartfelt plea for divine forgiveness and cleansing. It reveals his complete reliance on God's inherent character – specifically, His unfailing, loyal love (hesed) and profound tender compassion (rachamim) – as the sole basis for receiving mercy, recognizing that he has no personal merit to offer. He urgently requests that God completely blot out, or utterly erase, his transgressions, acknowledging the severity and rebellious nature of his sin.

Psalm 51 1 Context

Psalm 51 is a deeply penitential Psalm, traditionally attributed to King David following his egregious sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah, as confronted by the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 11-12). This immediate historical context profoundly shapes the verse, expressing David's profound guilt, brokenness, and a desperate yearning for spiritual restoration. Within the broader biblical context, it stands as a model for true repentance, demonstrating a recognition that forgiveness stems solely from God's character and grace, not from any human effort or merit. It highlights the Old Testament understanding that genuine repentance involves both confession and a turning toward God's unfailing love.

Psalm 51 1 Word analysis

• "Have mercy upon me":

  • Hebrew: chânan (חָנַן). This verb denotes the act of showing favor, granting grace, or extending pity, usually from a superior to an inferior. It implies undeserved kindness and benevolence. David's plea is an appeal for God to actively demonstrate His graciousness towards him, recognizing his own unworthiness and dependence on divine initiative.

• "O God":

  • Hebrew: Elohim (אֱלֹהִים). This common Hebrew name for God emphasizes His power, authority, and role as the Creator and Judge of the universe. By addressing God as Elohim, David appeals to the Almighty Sovereign who possesses both the ultimate power and righteousness to justly assess and mercifully address his profound transgressions.

• "according to thy steadfast love":

  • Hebrew: ḥeseḏ (חֶסֶד). A pivotal Old Testament term signifying covenant loyalty, unfailing love, and enduring mercy. More than just an emotion, ḥeseḏ is an active, committed loving-kindness based on relationship and fidelity. David anchors his hope for forgiveness not in his own deeds, but in the unshakeable, committed love of God as revealed in His covenant relationship.

• "according to thy great compassion":

  • Hebrew: raḥămîm (רַחֲמִים). This plural noun (related to rechem, "womb") denotes a deep, tender, gut-level pity or motherly affection. It suggests a profound inner yearning and tenderness that moves God to act on behalf of those suffering. The addition of "great" (rav) intensifies this, indicating an immeasurable depth of divine pity and mercy, going beyond any human capacity for sympathy.

• "blot out":

  • Hebrew: mâchâ (מָחָה). This strong verb means to wipe clean, to obliterate, to efface, to erase. It vividly portrays the complete removal of something, like wiping an inscription off a tablet, deleting a record from a book, or erasing dirt. It signifies not merely a covering of sin but its absolute removal, as if it never existed on a divine ledger.

• "my transgressions":

  • Hebrew: peshaʿ (פֶּשַׁע). This particular term for sin indicates a rebellion, a revolt, a willful and deliberate breaking of a covenant or agreement. It's not a mere mistake or unintentional error, but an active turning away from God's established order and authority. David acknowledges that his actions were high-handed and a profound betrayal against God.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Have mercy upon me, O God": This direct, personal, and urgent appeal highlights David's utter dependency and humility. He is not making demands, but is imploring favor from the all-powerful and righteous God, emphasizing the foundational concept that salvation comes by grace.
  • "according to thy steadfast love; according to thy great compassion": These two parallel phrases are crucial, as they identify the sole ground for David's plea. Forgiveness is explicitly tied not to David's sorrow, repentance, or ritual, but entirely to the immense, unwavering, and compassionate character of God. This establishes that divine mercy flows from God's nature, not from human deserving.
  • "blot out my transgressions": This phrase conveys the radical completeness of the forgiveness David seeks. It's a prayer for total obliteration of the record of his rebellion (peshaʿ), desiring that his high-handed acts against God be completely expunged, leaving no trace or memory on God's part.

Psalm 51 1 Bonus section

• The phrasing "according to thy steadfast love; according to thy great compassion" signifies that the measure and extent of the mercy sought are determined by God's infinite character, not by the magnitude of David's sin or the intensity of his repentance.
• This verse provides a fundamental theological principle, directly countering any notion that human performance or ritual sacrifice is the primary means of atonement. It places the entire efficacy of forgiveness squarely on God's character and His gracious initiative.
• The progression from "mercy" (general favor) to "blotting out transgressions" (specific act of removal) indicates David's longing not just for leniency, but for a profound cleansing and a restoration to right standing before God.

Psalm 51 1 Commentary

Psalm 51:1 introduces King David's raw and deeply penitent prayer. Confronted by his profound sins, he makes an unreserved appeal to God, relying solely on divine mercy rather than any self-justification or merit. The bedrock of his plea is God's intrinsic nature: His "steadfast love" (ḥeseḏ) signifies His loyal, covenant-keeping faithfulness, demonstrating that even when humanity falters, God's commitment to His relationship endures. Paired with "great compassion" (raḥămîm), which evokes deep, visceral pity, it paints a picture of a God whose mercy is boundless and tender, like a loving parent. The request to "blot out" his "transgressions" (peshaʿ) speaks to a desire for total eradication of his rebellion, not merely overlooking or pardoning. This profound verse underscores that genuine repentance involves both a complete admission of guilt and an unwavering faith in God's unparalleled and undeserved grace to fully cleanse and restore.

• Practical examples:
  • A believer burdened by habitual sin who understands they cannot earn forgiveness, finds peace by surrendering to God's hesed and rachamim, trusting in His character alone.
  • Someone who has committed a deep personal offense seeks complete restoration from the offended party, acknowledging their wrongdoing and relying on the existing love and bond, rather than offering justifications or conditions.