Psalms 51:14, commentary and pictures

The plea asks the God of salvation to rescue from the guilt of shedding blood, seeking pardon for the taking of Uriah's life and pointing every sinner to Him for deliverance. The promise is that once delivered and forgiven, the opened lips will loudly declare His praise and proclaim His righteousness. It was prayed by David as Israel's exalted king after he had departed from the Lord and sinned, when reproved by God's prophet, and he made it part of a sacred song sung openly before the nation so his fall, repentance, and hope of mercy would instruct others to the latest generation. It teaches that true repentance is sincere and profound, without rebellion against reproof or excuse for sin, but bowing under chastisement, trusting God's mercy above earthly position, confessing guilt and appealing for cleansing, a pure heart, and restored communion. Such a prayer of confession God accepts through Christ, blotting out sin even though consequences may remain, hearing the penitent, helping in temptation, and fitting the forgiven one to teach transgressors, praise Him, and live in purity and Christlikeness rather than mere profession.

Words and Historical Setting

The cry for deliverance from bloodguiltiness is addressed to God as the God of salvation, the source of rescue from the guilt of bloodshed. It looks to Him alone for pardon for the sin against Uriah. It directs every sinner to seek God's deliverance and salvation.

The pledged singing aloud is the vow of the delivered tongue to sing of divine righteousness. Once delivered, the opened lips and mouth will declare God's praise and proclaim His righteousness.

The verse belongs to David's true repentance after he had departed from the Lord and sinned against God. At that time he was the exalted and honored king of Israel when he received the Lord's message of reproof by His prophet. That reproof came as a sharp rebuke through God's prophet for his great sin.

He made the verse part of a sacred song to be sung in the public assemblies of Israel, in the presence of priests and judges, princes and men of war. There he openly recounted his sin, his repentance, and his hope of pardon through God's mercy, rather than concealing his guilt. By this the sad history of his fall was preserved to the latest generation, so that others would be instructed by it.

Repentance, Pardon, and Praise

The prayer asks for more than pardon alone, asking also for a pure heart and restored communion with God. It is a prayer for preparation of heart to do acceptable service for God, which every believer today should pray. The forgiven sinner is thus fitted to teach transgressors and to praise God, with the delivered tongue singing aloud of His righteousness.

The verse shows the course to follow when departed from the Lord: without delay to pour out the soul in penitence and humiliation before God, seeking mercy and pardon. This means confession of sin and humbling of the heart, acknowledging sin and a spirit unlike Christ rather than presenting goodness. It means appealing for cleansing and deliverance from the God of salvation, and renewing commitment to praise Him with opened lips and mouth declaring His praise. Deep penitence and humility before God belong to that appeal for mercy and pardon.

David's penitence was sincere and profound as his guilt. He did not cherish stubborn resistance, rise in rebellion against reproof, hate the prophet, lose confidence in God, or take counsel from those who excuse unrepented sin. But he bowed under chastisement with humility and contrition, confessed his sin and humbled his heart, and declared God to be just in all His dealings. He relied on the mercy of the God he had loved and served and honored, trusted God more than man, and accepted God's decision as just and merciful.

He was beloved of God not because he was perfect or always resisted temptation, but because he was contrite and humble in spirit and loved much as one forgiven much. He prized God's favor above earthly position and his crown. Loss of a crown could be endured, but deprivation of God's favor could not.

The verse belongs to a prayer of sincere repentance and confession that God accepted, in which guilt was recognized, repentance made, and pardon found through Christ. It offers hope to sinners burdened by guilt, even though suffering for transgression still remained. It calls sinners to repent, confess sin, and turn to God so that sins may be blotted out, directing every sinner to seek God's deliverance and salvation. It means the Lord will hear the penitent, knowing how strong are the inclinations of the natural heart and helping in every time of temptation, because mercy is still extended to the sinner who heeds the pleading voice of His Spirit.

The psalm's lessons are to be practiced, pointing to the need for purity and Christlikeness in word and spirit. Merely nominal profession leaves a person without spiritual power or good influence.