Psalm 51 3

Psalm 51:3 kjv

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

Psalm 51:3 nkjv

For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.

Psalm 51:3 niv

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Psalm 51:3 esv

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Psalm 51:3 nlt

For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.

Psalm 51 verses

Psalm 51 3 Meaning

Psalm 51:3 conveys King David's profound and unceasing acknowledgment of his sin. He declares an intimate, experiential knowledge of his acts of rebellion and a continuous, pervasive awareness of his wrongdoing. This verse is the foundational reason for his desperate plea for mercy and cleansing expressed in the preceding verses, establishing that his confession springs from deep internal conviction, not merely the exposure of his deeds.

Psalm 51 3 Context

Psalm 51:3 is the very core of David's deep, personal confession. It builds directly upon his preceding pleas for grace ("Have mercy upon me...") and cleansing ("Wash me thoroughly..."). This verse explains why he seeks mercy: he is acutely aware of his sin. Historically, this Psalm is attributed to King David following the prophet Nathan's confrontation after David committed adultery with Bathsheba and orchestrated the death of her husband, Uriah the Hittite (2 Sam 11-12). This context highlights the profound spiritual brokenness and public shame of a king who had grievously sinned against God and humanity, moving from attempted cover-up to heart-wrenching repentance. It also addresses the potential misconception that God's grace could be presumed without a prior, genuine internal acknowledgment of transgression.

Psalm 51 3 Word analysis

• For (כִּי, kî): This conjunction serves as a causal or explanatory particle. It introduces the reason or ground for the preceding request for mercy and cleansing. David's confession isn't an afterthought; it's the foundational premise for his appeal. It signifies, "because" or "indeed."
• I know (יָדַעְתִּי, yādha‘tî): More than mere intellectual apprehension or theoretical understanding. This verb denotes an intimate, personal, and experiential knowledge, a deep and internal realization. It means David is fully conscious, internally convinced, and has acknowledged with full awareness the nature and gravity of his actions. It’s a self-awareness born of conviction.
• my transgressions (פְּשָׁעַי, pəshā‘ay): This plural term (pesha‘) signifies rebellion, deliberate revolt against authority, a breaking of covenant, or an outright act of defiance. It implies high-handed sin, going beyond simple error or weakness to a willful opposition to God's law and sovereign will. David’s specific acts (adultery, murder) fit this definition perfectly.
• and (וְ, wə-): A simple conjunction connecting the two clauses, indicating an intensification or a related continuation of the thought.
• my sin (חַטָּאתִי, ḥaṭṭā'tî): This singular term (ḥaṭṭā't) denotes "missing the mark," failing to meet God's standard, falling short of His perfect will, or going astray. It refers to the act of wrongdoing itself and its inherent guilt and defilement. While pesha emphasizes rebellion, ḥaṭṭā't focuses on the moral fault and the defiling consequence. The combination signifies comprehensive wrongdoing.
• is ever (תָמִיד, tāmîd): This adverb means continually, constantly, perpetually, or always. It conveys an unceasing, inescapable reality. It highlights that David's sin is not a fleeting thought or a forgotten memory but an ongoing, oppressive burden.
• before me (נֶגְדִּי, neḡdî): Implies a spatial presence, suggesting the sin is vividly and perpetually in his consciousness. It is unavoidable, standing in his direct view, like an inescapable shadow or a heavy object. This imagery illustrates the intense and inescapable personal awareness of his guilt.

• "For I know my transgressions": This phrase marks a deep personal reckoning. David is not just admitting to others what he did; he possesses an undeniable, painful inner comprehension of the depth and nature of his rebellion against God's law and kingship. It is the basis for genuine repentance, showing that he accepts full responsibility without excuse.
• "and my sin is ever before me": This expresses the inescapable weight and constant burden of his offense. It signifies that the consequences, the defilement, and the guilt of his sin are an enduring presence in his mind and conscience. This is a sign of true contrition, indicating that his regret is profound and lasting, moving beyond the moment of being caught to a continual self-condemnation before God.

Psalm 51 3 Bonus section

• The verse highlights a crucial aspect of biblical repentance: it begins not with seeking relief from consequences, but with a profound, internal recognition of the offense itself. David's awareness precedes his plea for cleansing, setting a paradigm for true confession.
• The active verb "I know" juxtaposed with the passive state of "is ever before me" indicates both personal responsibility in discerning sin and the inescapable reality of its haunting presence once acknowledged. David takes ownership ("my transgressions," "my sin") reinforcing the personal nature of his offense.
• The phrase implicitly challenges any idea that God might overlook or be unaware of secret sins. Even if others do not know, or if the individual tries to suppress it, the truly repentant heart cannot escape its own guilt before a holy God.
• This profound awareness of sin acts as a spiritual pressure, leading not to despair but to a desperate, Spirit-enabled turn towards the only one who can forgive and purify, setting the stage for the rest of Psalm 51’s fervent appeals.

Psalm 51 3 Commentary

Psalm 51:3 encapsulates the vital initial step in genuine repentance: an unreserved acknowledgment of sin. David does not equivocate or minimize his wrongdoing. The phrase "For I know my transgressions" emphasizes an intimate, self-implicating awareness that transcends mere intellectual assent, serving as the foundational reason for his plea for divine cleansing. This knowing is deep-seated and personal, identifying his actions as willful rebellion (pesha‘) against God’s authority and as fundamental failures (ḥaṭṭā't) to meet God’s standard. The addition "and my sin is ever before me" reveals the persistent, tormenting reality of his guilt. His sin isn't just a past event but a continual, pressing burden on his conscience, providing no escape or denial. This profound and ongoing awareness is precisely what makes his subsequent cry for mercy sincere and transformative, demonstrating that true repentance arises from a soul-crushing understanding of one's own profound offense against a holy God. This constant self-indictment serves as a painful, yet necessary, reminder of the distance between human failing and divine perfection, leading one to seek God's unique power to forgive and purify.