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Psalms 51:7
Verse
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Charles Stanley
Derek Prince
A.W. Tozer
Aaron Hurst
George Warnock
Chuck Smith
Leonard RavenhillSummary
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- Keil-Delitzsch
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- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
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Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The possession of all possessions, however, most needed by him, the foundation of all other possessions, is the assurance of the forgiveness of his sins. The second futures in Psa 51:9 are consequents of the first, which are used as optatives. Psa 51:9 recalls to mind the sprinkling of the leper, and of one unclean by reason of his contact with a dead body, by means of the bunch of hyssop (Lev. 14, Num. 19), the βοτάνη καθαρτική (Bhr, Symbol. ii. 503); and Psa 51:9 recalls the washings which, according to priestly directions, the unclean person in all cases of uncleanness had to undergo. Purification and washing which the Law enjoins, are regarded in connection with the idea implied in them, and with a setting aside of their symbolic and carnal outward side, inasmuch as the performance of both acts, which in other cases takes place through priestly mediation, is here supplicated directly from God Himself. Manifestly בּאזוב (not כבאזוב) is intended to be understood in a spiritual sense. It is a spiritual medium of purification without the medium itself being stated. The New Testament believer confesses, with Petrarch in the second of his seven penitential Psalms: omnes sordes meas una gutta, vel tenuis, sacri sanguinis absterget. But there is here no mention made of atonement by blood; for the antitype of the atoning blood was still hidden from David. The operation of justifying grace on a man stained by the blood-red guilt of sin could not, however, be more forcibly denoted than by the expression that it makes him whiter than snow (cf. the dependent passage Isa 1:18). And history scarcely records a grander instance of the change of blood-red sin into dazzling whiteness than this, that out of the subsequent marriage of David and Bathsheba sprang Solomon, the most richly blessed of all kings. At the present time David's very bones are still shaken, and as it were crushed, with the sense of sin. דּכּית is an attributive clause like יפעל in Psa 7:16. Into what rejoicing will this smitten condition be changed, when he only realizes within his soul the comforting and joyous assuring utterance of the God who is once more gracious to him! For this he yearns, viz., that God would hide His face from the sin which He is now visiting upon him, so that it may as it were be no longer present to Him; that He would blot out all his iniquities, so that they may no longer testify against him. Here the first part of the Psalm closes; the close recurs to the language of the opening (Psa 51:3).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
A series of prayers for forgiveness and purifying. Purge . . . hyssop--The use of this plant in the ritual (Exo 12:22; Num 19:6, Num 19:18) suggests the idea of atonement as prominent here; "purge" refers to vicarious satisfaction (Num 19:17-20).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Purge me with hyssop,.... Or "thou shalt purge me with hyssop" (f); or "expiate me"; which was used in sprinkling the blood of the paschal lamb on the door posts of the Israelites in Egypt, that the destroying angel might pass over them, Exo 12:22; and in the cleansing of the leper, Lev 14:4; and in the purification of one that was unclean by the touch of a dead body, &c. Num 19:6; which the Targum on the text has respect to; and this petition of the psalmist shows that he saw himself a guilty creature, and in danger of the destroying angel, and a filthy creature like the leper, and deserving to be excluded from the society of the saints, and the house of God; and that he had respect not hereby to ceremonial sprinklings and purifications, for them he would have applied to a priest; but to the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, typified thereby; and therefore he applies to God to purge his conscience with it; and, as Suidas (g) from Theodoret observes, hyssop did not procure remission of sins, but has a mystical signification, and refers to what was meant by the sprinkling of the blood of the passover; and then he says, and I shall be clean; thoroughly clean; for the blood sprinkled on the heart by the spirit clears it from an evil conscience, purges the conscience from dead works, and cleanses from all sin; wash me; or "thou shall wash me" (h); alluding to the washing at the cleansing of a leper, and the purification of an unclean person, Lev 14:8; but had in view the fountain of Christ's blood, in which believers are washed from all their sins, Zac 13:1; and I shall be whiter than snow; who was black with original corruption, and actual transgressions; but the blood of Christ makes not only the conversation garments white that are washed in it; but even crimson and scarlet sins as white as wool, as white as snow, and the persons of the saints without spot or blemish, Rev 7:14, Eph 5:25; "whiter than the snow" is a phrase used by Homer (i), and others, to describe what is exceeding white. (f) "purificabis me", Pagninus, Montanus; "exiabis me", Vatablus, Musculus, Cocceius, Gejerus. (g) In voce (h) "lavabis me", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Musculus, Cocceius. (i) Iliad. 10. v. 437. So Martial. l. 7. Epigr. 27. Ovid. Amor. l. 3. Eleg. 6.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
I. See here what David prays for. Many excellent petitions he here puts up, to which if we do but add, "for Christ's sake," they are as evangelical as any other. 1. He prays that God would cleanse him from his sins and the defilement he had contracted by them (Psa 51:7): "Purge me with hyssop; that is, pardon my sins, and let me know that they are pardoned, that I may be restored to those privileges which by sin I have forfeited and lost." The expression here alludes to a ceremonial distinction, that of cleansing the leper, or those that were unclean by the touch of a body by sprinkling water, or blood, or both upon them with a bunch of hyssop, by which they were, at length, discharged from the restraints they were laid under by their pollution. "Lord, let me be as well assured of my restoration to thy favour, and to the privilege of communion with thee, as they were thereby assured of their re-admission to their former privileges." But it is founded upon gospel-grace: Purge me with hyssop, that is, with the blood of Christ applied to my soul by a lively faith, as water of purification was sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop. It is the blood of Christ (which is therefore called the blood of sprinkling, Heb 12:24), that purges the conscience from dead works, from that guilt of sin and dread of God which shut us out of communion with him, as the touch of a dead body, under the law, shut a man out from the courts of God's house. If this blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin, cleanse us from our sin, then we shall be clean indeed, Heb 10:2. If we be washed in this fountain opened, we shall be whiter than snow, not only acquitted but accepted; so those are that are justified. Isa 1:18, Though your sins have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. 2. He prays that, his sins being pardoned, he might have the comfort of that pardon. He asks not to be comforted till first he is cleansed; but if sin, the bitter root of sorrow, be taken away, he can pray in faith, "Make me to hear joy and gladness (Psa 51:8), that is, let me have a well-grounded peace, of thy creating, thy speaking, so that the bones which thou hast broken by convictions and threatenings may rejoice, may not only be set again, and eased from the pain, but may be sensibly comforted, and, as the prophet speaks, may flourish as a herb." Note, (1.) The pain of a heart truly broken for sin may well be compared to that of a broken bone; and it is the same Spirit who as a Spirit of bondage smites and wounds and as a Spirit of adoption heals and binds up. (2.) The comfort and joy that arise from a sealed pardon to a penitent sinner are as refreshing as perfect ease from the most exquisite pain. (3.) It is God's work, not only to speak this joy and gladness, but to make us hear it and take the comfort of it. He earnestly desires that God would lift up the light of his countenance upon him, and so put gladness into his heart, that he would not only be reconciled to him, but, which is a further act of grace, let him know that he was so. 3. He prays for a complete and effectual pardon. This is that which he is most earnest for as the foundation of his comfort (Psa 51:9): "Hide thy face from my sins, that is, be not provoked by them to deal with me as I deserve; they are ever before me, let them be cast behind thy back. Blot out all my iniquities out of the book of thy account; blot them out, as a cloud is blotted out and dispelled by the beams of the sun," Isa 44:22. 4. He prays for sanctifying grace; and this every true penitent is as earnest for as for pardon and peace, Psa 51:10. He does not pray, "Lord, preserve me my reputation," as Saul, I have sinned, yet honour me before this people. No; his great concern is to get his corrupt nature changed: the sin he had been guilty of was, (1.) An evidence of its impurity, and therefore he prays, Create in me a clean heart, O God! He now saw, more than ever, what an unclean heart he had, and sadly laments it, but sees it is not in his own power to amend it, and therefore begs of God (whose prerogative it is to create) that he would create in him a clean heart. He only that made the heart can new-make it; and to his power nothing is impossible. He created the world by the word of his power as the God of nature, and it is by the word of his power as the God of grace that we are clean (Joh 15:3), that we are sanctified, Joh 17:17. (2.) It was the cause of its disorder, and undid much of the good work that had been wrought in him; and therefore he prays, "Lord, renew a right spirit within me; repair the decays of spiritual strength which this sin has been the cause of, and set me to rights again." Renew a constant spirit within me, so some. He had, in this matter, discovered much inconstancy and inconsistency with himself, and therefore he prays, "Lord, fix me for the time to come, that I may never in like manner depart from thee." 5. He prays for the continuance of God's good-will towards him and the progress of his good work in him, Psa 51:11. (1.) That he might never be shut out from God's favour: "Cast me not away from thy presence, as one whom thou abhorrest and canst not endure to look upon." He prays that he might not be thrown out of God's protection, but that wherever he went, he might have the divine presence with him, might be under the guidance of his wisdom and in the custody of his power, and that he might not be forbidden communion with God: "Let me not be banished thy courts, but always have liberty of access to thee by prayer." He does not deprecate the temporal judgments which God by Nathan had threatened to bring upon him. "God's will be done; but, Lord, rebuke me no in thy wrath. If the sword come into my house never to depart from it, yet let me have a God to go to in my distresses, and all shall be well." (2.) That he might never be deprived of God's grace: Take not thy Holy Spirit from me. He knew he had by his sin grieved the Spirit and provoked him to with draw, and that because he also was flesh God might justly have said that his Spirit should no more strive with him nor work upon him, Gen 6:3. This he dreads more than any thing. We are undone if God take his Holy Spirit from us. Saul was a sad instance of this. How exceedingly sinful, how exceedingly miserable, was he, when the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him! David knew it, and therefore begs thus earnestly: "Lord, whatever thou take from me, my children, my crown, my life, yet take not thy Holy Spirit from me" (see Sa2 7:15), "but continue thy Holy Spirit with me, to perfect the work of my repentance, to prevent my relapse into sin, and to enable me to discharge my duty both as a prince and as a psalmist." 6. He prays for the restoration of divine comforts and the perpetual communications of divine grace, Psa 51:12. David finds two ill effects of his sin: - (1.) It had made him sad, and therefore he prays, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. A child of God knows no true nor solid joy but the joy of God's salvation, joy in God his Saviour and in the hope of eternal life. By wilful sin we forfeit this joy and deprive ourselves of it; our evidences cannot but be clouded and our hopes shaken. When we give ourselves so much cause to doubt of our interest in the salvation, how can we expect the joy of it? But, when we truly repent, we may pray and hope that God will restore to us those joys. Those that sow in penitential tears shall reap in the joys of God's salvation when the times of refreshing shall come. (2.) It had made him weak, and therefore he prays, "Uphold me with the free Spirit: I am ready to fall, either into sin or into despair; Lord, sustain me; my own spirit" (though the spirit of a man will go far towards the sustaining of his infirmity) "is not sufficient; if I be left to myself, I shall certainly sink; therefore uphold me with thy Spirit, let him counterwork the evil spirit that would cast me down from my excellency. Thy Spirit is a free spirit, a free gent himself, working freely" (and that makes those free whom he works upon, for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty) - "thy ingenuous princely Spirit." He was conscious to himself of having acted, in the matter of Uriah, very disingenuously and unlike a prince; his behaviour was base and paltry: "Lord," says he, "let thy Spirit inspire my soul with noble and generous principles, that I may always act as becomes me." A free spirit will be a firm and fixed spirit, and will uphold us. The more cheerful we are in our duty the more constant we shall be to it. II. See what David here promises, Psa 51:13. Observe, 1. What good work he promises to do: I will teach transgressors thy ways. David had been himself a transgressor, and therefore could speak experimentally to transgressors, and resolves, having himself found mercy with God in the way of repentance, to teach others God's ways, that is, (1.) Our way to God by repentance; he would teach others that had sinned to take the same course that he had taken, to humble themselves, to confess their sins, and seek God's face; and, (2.) God's way towards us in pardoning mercy; how ready he is to receive those that return to him. He taught the former by his own example, for the direction of sinners in repenting; he taught the latter by his own experience, for their encouragement. By this psalm he is, and will be to the world's end, teaching transgressors, telling them what God had done for his soul. Note, Penitents should be preachers. Solomon was so, and blessed Paul. 2. What good effect he promises himself from his doing this: "Sinners shall be converted unto thee, and shall neither persist in their wanderings from thee, nor despair of finding mercy in their returns to thee." The great thing to be aimed at in teaching transgressors is their conversion to God; that is a happy point gained, and happy are those that are instrumental to contribute towards it, Jam 5:20.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
51:7 Purify me from my sins (literally Purify me with the hyssop branch; see Exod 12:22; Lev 14:4; John 19:29; Heb 9:19): The psalmist depends on God to purify and renew him (see Isa 1:18).
Psalms 51:7
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
6Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
After We Fail What Then
By Charles Stanley13K20:09FailurePSA 51:1PSA 51:7PSA 51:10PSA 51:17In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of learning from our failures and sins. He encourages listeners not to waste their sins but to use them as opportunities for growth and learning. The preacher highlights the need for genuine repentance, which involves confessing personal guilt, assuming responsibility, and being open and honest with God. He also emphasizes that God never abandons His children in times of temptation and failure, but instead offers forgiveness and instruction. The sermon concludes with the call to humbly seek purification and wisdom from God, so that we may avoid repeating our mistakes and hindering His work within us.
How to Apply the Blood
By Derek Prince4.1K1:13:00LEV 17:11PSA 51:7ISA 61:10JHN 6:53EPH 1:7HEB 10:19HEB 12:22REV 12:11
This sermon delves into the profound significance of the blood of Jesus shed on the cross, emphasizing the various provisions and effects of His sacrifice. It covers themes of redemption, cleansing, justification, sanctification, life, intercession, and access to God's presence through the blood of Jesus. The importance of testifying to the power of the blood and surrendering fully to God's will is highlighted as key in overcoming Satan and experiencing the full benefits of Christ's sacrifice.
Dead Words
By A.W. Tozer3.6K47:26Dead WordsEXO 19:9PSA 51:7MAT 3:2JHN 3:16ACT 3:19ROM 10:91JN 1:9In this sermon, the preacher begins by expressing his admiration for a group of individuals, stating that he does not aspire to be with anyone better. He then shares a verse from the book of Exodus, where Moses tells God that he will come to the cloud so that the people may hear him speak and believe. The preacher then transitions to a personal story about a man named Charlie who was attacked by robbers. In this dire situation, the preacher claims that God whispered to Charlie to tell the robbers that he cannot open the safe, leading to their demise. The preacher concludes by questioning why Christians are not willing to face difficulties and challenges like the Marines, and instead seek comfort and safety.
Ephraim Is a Cake Not Turned
By Aaron Hurst2.4K1:14:04LukewarmnessPSA 51:2PSA 51:7ISA 32:9MAT 6:33LUK 8:17REV 2:2REV 3:16In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of surrendering everything to God and not holding back. He urges the audience to examine their lives and identify any "stuff" that may be hindering their full commitment to God. This includes relationships, possessions, and even music choices. The preacher encourages the audience to forsake all and take up their cross to truly be disciples of Jesus. He also highlights the potential impact of a generation fully sold out for God, using the example of Noah and Lot.
Love Never Faileth
By George Warnock2.1K1:10:08LovePSA 51:7PSA 51:15ISA 8:18JON 1:17MAT 18:21LUK 2:34HEB 4:12In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of truth and wisdom in our inner being. He quotes from Psalm 51, where David asks God to purify him and make him clean. The speaker also discusses the role of knowledge and love in our spiritual growth. He believes that we are in a time when God is calling for truth to be established in us, and that love is essential in enduring and not giving up. The sermon concludes with a reminder of the need for a vision in our lives, as stated in Proverbs 29:18.
Wash & Be Clean
By Chuck Smith2.1K34:22PurityPSA 51:1PSA 51:4PSA 51:7PSA 51:10MAT 19:16EPH 2:8In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. The only one we can glorify is Jesus. Salvation is not achieved through our own works or efforts, but through the simple act of being washed and cleansed from our sins. The speaker references Psalm 51, where the psalmist acknowledges his transgressions and asks God to blot out his sins. The sermon concludes by highlighting the story of the rich young ruler who sought eternal life through his own efforts, but Jesus taught him that salvation comes through faith and surrender, not through works.
Pure Heart, Pure Church - Part 1
By Leonard Ravenhill1.7K09:40EXO 34:6PSA 51:1PSA 51:7PSA 51:10PSA 51:17PSA 86:5PSA 86:15ROM 3:23
This sermon delves into Psalm 51, highlighting David's deep repentance and plea for God's mercy after his sins of murder and adultery. It emphasizes the timeless nature of God's opinion of man, contrasting it with the changing opinions of men about God over time. The psalm is described as a profound expression of confession and repentance, punctuated not by stops and commas, but by groans, tears, and agony. The importance of coming to God as sinners, pleading for His mercy, is underscored through David's heartfelt words.
Restoration of Joy
By Bill McLeod1.7K55:36JoyPSA 51:1PSA 51:7PSA 51:10In this sermon, the preacher shares a story about a man who had a chance to share the gospel with his friends but didn't take it. Later, his best friend from that group was shot to death in a card game. The man is filled with regret and asks the preacher if there is any way he can apologize to his friend for not telling him about Jesus. The preacher tells him that there isn't a way to do that, but he can learn from the situation. The preacher then shares a story about an evangelist who experienced a dry spell in his ministry and realized that the lack of blessings was due to his own lack of love and joy in Christ. The evangelist learned that if he focused on cultivating the love and joy of Christ in the few people he had, the blessings would overflow and impact others. The sermon emphasizes the importance of personal restoration and the transformative power of God's love and joy in our lives.
Why Is God's Strength Made Perfect in Our Weakness
By Carter Conlon1.6K53:59PSA 51:7PSA 139:23ISA 6:1ZEC 4:6MAT 9:20ACT 1:8ROM 3:231CO 1:26COL 1:16HEB 4:16
This sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing God's strength in our weakness, highlighting the need for humility, mercy, and reliance on God's power. It explores the transformative power of God's mercy and the call to share the message of salvation with others, regardless of personal weaknesses or limitations.
Christ's Very Own - Part 5
By Ian Paisley1.4K05:40PSA 51:7ISA 53:6JHN 8:36JHN 20:27ACT 2:21ROM 5:82CO 5:17HEB 10:222PE 3:91JN 1:9
This sermon focuses on the profound sacrifice and love of Jesus Christ, emphasizing the importance of believing in Him and accepting His redemption. It highlights the gravity of sin, the atonement made by Jesus on the cross, and the urgency of turning to Him for salvation before facing the consequences of justice. The message calls for repentance, gratitude, and a deepening commitment to living in holiness and fear of God.
Pure Heart, Pure Church - Part 4
By Leonard Ravenhill1.4K09:28LEV 1:3PSA 34:18PSA 51:7PSA 51:17PSA 66:18ISA 1:11ROM 12:1HEB 9:22HEB 13:15JAS 5:16
This sermon delves into the themes of cleansing, sacrifice, brokenness, and offerings as mentioned in the Bible. It reflects on historical periods of great preachers and the need for a revival to restore a sense of God's holiness and the sinfulness of sin. The speaker emphasizes the importance of deep, heartfelt prayer and the transformative power of encountering God's majesty.
Facing Reprobates With Their Destiny
By Rolfe Barnard1.3K45:39PSA 51:7AMO 4:12AMO 5:2ROM 8:91CO 6:192CO 13:5EPH 5:18In this sermon, the preacher tells the story of a lost soul who decides to visit an old country church. As he enters the deserted church, his memory takes him back to a Sunday morning filled with singing and prayer. The preacher emphasizes the importance of pouring out one's soul to God and seeking His blessings. The sermon concludes with a reminder to prepare to meet God at the judgment and to repent before it is too late.
Yielding Our Rights
By Lou Sutera1.1K54:36YieldingPSA 51:7MAT 6:33MRK 8:34LUK 9:23ROM 12:11CO 1:18GAL 2:20In this sermon, the preacher begins by quoting another preacher who asked why so many Christians are unable to experience the reality of God. He then poses the question to his own congregation, asking if they are ready to accept Jesus Christ for who they know him to be. Surprisingly, most of the congregation responds with a "no." The preacher then explores the concept of living in the spirit and being led by the spirit, emphasizing that these can be a reality in our lives. He shares the story of David Otis Fuller, a preacher who preached a sermon titled "Your Life: A Dying Life or a Living Death," highlighting the importance of dying to oneself and finding real life in death. The preacher concludes by emphasizing the significance of the death-dealing cross in our lives.
Bible Readings for Children
By Aunt Martha1.1K43:54PSA 51:7PSA 91:1PSA 91:14MAT 6:33MAT 7:7MAT 22:37In this video, Aunt Martha emphasizes the importance of the scriptures, which are God's word, in our lives. She encourages boys and girls to learn and cherish the scriptures as their minds grow. Aunt Martha mentions a blue bookmark called "How to Use the Bible" from Gospel Sunrise, which provides suggested Bible readings. She also encourages singing verses and songs about scriptures to help remember them better. The video concludes with a reminder to read and sing along with the Bible and a blessing for the listeners.
Walking in the Light
By J. Glyn Owen96238:58Walking With GodPSA 51:7PSA 51:91JN 1:5In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the cardinal Christian affirmation that God is light. He emphasizes the practical implications of this doctrine, urging listeners to bring their lives before God for judgment. The preacher highlights the need to cast off the works of darkness and live according to the truth. He references 1 John 1:5-7, which states that fellowship with God requires walking in the light and being cleansed by the blood of Jesus. The sermon emphasizes the inseparable connection between doctrine and duty, belief and behavior, as taught in Scripture.
The True Nature of Revival in the Local Church
By Ralph Sutera7451:22:50RevivalPSA 51:1PSA 51:7PSA 51:9PSA 51:12MAT 22:36ROM 3:10In this sermon, the speaker shares a powerful testimony of God's intervention in a broken relationship between two couples. Through God's grace, reconciliation and forgiveness were achieved, leading to a remarkable transformation in their lives. The speaker emphasizes the importance of surrendering to God and allowing Him to work in our lives, rather than trying to control everything ourselves. The sermon also highlights the need to confront and deal with sin in order to experience revival and a deeper relationship with God.
If Doors Could Talk
By David Ford73537:56PSA 51:7MAT 28:19JHN 14:6ACT 4:12ROM 10:13
This sermon emphasizes the importance of evangelism and the transformative power of Jesus Christ. It highlights the need for people to come alive in Jesus, emphasizing that Jesus is the only way to true life and forgiveness. The story of a woman saved from suicide by a young boy's message about Jesus is shared, illustrating the impact of sharing the gospel. The sermon calls for a decision to be made for or against Jesus, inviting individuals to experience the cleansing and transforming power of Jesus in their lives.
David's Repentance
By Erlo Stegen6331:07:04RepentancePSA 32:5PSA 51:1PSA 51:7PSA 51:10PSA 51:17In this sermon, the preacher discusses the challenge of believing in a God that cannot be seen. He shares a story of two friends who went hunting together, one being a Christian and the other a non-believer. The Christian prayed for wisdom to answer his friend's doubts about God's existence. The next morning, they discovered fresh tracks of a deer near their tent, which the non-believer initially doubted until he saw the evidence. The preacher uses this story to emphasize the importance of faith and the evidence of God's existence in creation. He also highlights the inherent sinfulness of humanity and the need for repentance.
Jeremiah 33:14
By Chuck Smith0Hope in DespairGod's Promises2SA 7:16PSA 51:7ISA 53:5JER 30:17JER 33:14MAT 26:28JHN 3:16ROM 6:23HEB 8:6REV 11:15Chuck Smith emphasizes the contrast between the dark days ahead for Judah and the glorious future God has planned for them, as revealed to Jeremiah. Despite the impending destruction and despair, God promises healing, peace, and restoration, ultimately leading to the coming of the Messiah, who will reign in righteousness. The sermon highlights that God's covenant with David and His people is unbreakable, assuring believers of their salvation and future glory through Jesus Christ. Smith reassures that even in times of darkness, God's final chapter for His people is one of hope and joy.
The Brazen Laver
By Charles S. Price0EXO 38:8PSA 51:7ISA 64:6JHN 14:6ROM 3:23EPH 2:8HEB 9:221PE 1:181JN 1:9Charles S. Price preaches on the significance of the laver in the Book of Exodus, emphasizing the need for spiritual cleansing before entering God's presence. He draws parallels between the Old Testament types and their fulfillment in the New Testament, highlighting the importance of self-reflection through the 'Mirror of Gospel Truth' found in God's Word. Price urges listeners to acknowledge their spiritual filthiness and need for salvation, emphasizing that true gratitude and humility come from recognizing the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross as the only means of redemption.
Washing the Disciples' Feet
By C.I. Scofield0PSA 51:7JHN 13:1JHN 13:6EPH 5:251JN 1:9C.I. Scofield delves into the profound lesson of Jesus washing the disciples' feet, emphasizing the significance of cleansing for service and communion. He highlights the distinction between justification (cleansing from the guilt of sin) and sanctification (progressive cleansing from the habit of sin), drawing parallels to the believer's walk and the need for continual cleansing. Scofield underscores the necessity of confession for forgiveness and cleansing, pointing to Christ's work on the cross as the basis for our purification.
The Incurable Cured
By John MacDuff0PSA 51:7ISA 1:18MAT 8:1MRK 1:40LUK 5:12ROM 6:23GAL 5:1HEB 9:14JAS 5:161JN 1:7John MacDuff preaches about the powerful encounter between Jesus and a man with leprosy, highlighting the man's desperate plea for healing and Jesus' compassionate response, showcasing the contrast between mercy and despair, purity and pollution, and life and death. The scene unfolds on the Mount of Beatitudes, emphasizing the significance of prayer and faith in approaching Jesus for cleansing and restoration. The sermon delves into the deep symbolism of leprosy as a representation of sin, illustrating the terribleness of sin and the need for divine intervention to cleanse and heal the soul, ultimately pointing to Jesus as the ultimate Healer and Savior who can set us free from the bondage of sin and death.
Abounding Grace (Rom. v.20)
By Seth Rees0PSA 51:7ROM 5:202CO 5:17EPH 2:8TIT 3:5Seth Rees preaches about the abundant grace of God that surpasses the depth of sin, using powerful illustrations from nature to demonstrate how God's redemption transforms and strengthens even the most broken and wounded souls. He emphasizes how God chooses the most unlikely individuals to accomplish His greatest works, saving and sanctifying the vilest sinners to become powerful witnesses of His grace. Rees highlights the transformative power of the gospel in restoring lives, homes, and communities, illustrating that where sin abounds, God's grace abounds even more, offering hope and redemption to all.
Those Spots Which a Christian Finds in His Own Heart
By Thomas Brooks0Purification from SinFaithPSA 51:7ZEC 13:1ACT 15:9ROM 6:14EPH 1:7COL 1:14HEB 9:141PE 1:181JN 1:7REV 1:5Thomas Brooks emphasizes that true faith purifies the heart from sin, likening faith to a diligent housekeeper that not only identifies sin but also actively cleanses it. He illustrates that faith engages Christ's strength to combat sin, transforming the struggle into a divine battle where God fights against sin on behalf of the believer. Brooks highlights that reliance on personal resolutions is futile without Christ, and true victory over sin comes through faith in His power and the application of His blood. He concludes that the only remedy for the spots of sin in a Christian's heart is the cleansing power of Christ's blood, applied through faith.
Isaiah Chapter 2 Sin and Salvation
By A.B. Simpson0Sin and SalvationRepentance and MercyPSA 51:7ISA 1:18ISA 55:7MAT 11:28JHN 3:16ROM 3:232CO 5:17EPH 2:8JAS 4:71JN 1:9A.B. Simpson delivers a powerful sermon on Isaiah Chapter 2, emphasizing the stark contrast between sin and salvation. He vividly describes the nature of sin as a weight that drags us down, a disease that corrupts, and a provocation to God, while also highlighting the merciful promise of salvation through repentance and obedience. Simpson calls for a genuine response to God's invitation to reason together, assuring that though our sins are scarlet, they can be made white as snow through His grace. The sermon culminates in a call to embrace a life of obedience, which leads to the blessings of God.
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The possession of all possessions, however, most needed by him, the foundation of all other possessions, is the assurance of the forgiveness of his sins. The second futures in Psa 51:9 are consequents of the first, which are used as optatives. Psa 51:9 recalls to mind the sprinkling of the leper, and of one unclean by reason of his contact with a dead body, by means of the bunch of hyssop (Lev. 14, Num. 19), the βοτάνη καθαρτική (Bhr, Symbol. ii. 503); and Psa 51:9 recalls the washings which, according to priestly directions, the unclean person in all cases of uncleanness had to undergo. Purification and washing which the Law enjoins, are regarded in connection with the idea implied in them, and with a setting aside of their symbolic and carnal outward side, inasmuch as the performance of both acts, which in other cases takes place through priestly mediation, is here supplicated directly from God Himself. Manifestly בּאזוב (not כבאזוב) is intended to be understood in a spiritual sense. It is a spiritual medium of purification without the medium itself being stated. The New Testament believer confesses, with Petrarch in the second of his seven penitential Psalms: omnes sordes meas una gutta, vel tenuis, sacri sanguinis absterget. But there is here no mention made of atonement by blood; for the antitype of the atoning blood was still hidden from David. The operation of justifying grace on a man stained by the blood-red guilt of sin could not, however, be more forcibly denoted than by the expression that it makes him whiter than snow (cf. the dependent passage Isa 1:18). And history scarcely records a grander instance of the change of blood-red sin into dazzling whiteness than this, that out of the subsequent marriage of David and Bathsheba sprang Solomon, the most richly blessed of all kings. At the present time David's very bones are still shaken, and as it were crushed, with the sense of sin. דּכּית is an attributive clause like יפעל in Psa 7:16. Into what rejoicing will this smitten condition be changed, when he only realizes within his soul the comforting and joyous assuring utterance of the God who is once more gracious to him! For this he yearns, viz., that God would hide His face from the sin which He is now visiting upon him, so that it may as it were be no longer present to Him; that He would blot out all his iniquities, so that they may no longer testify against him. Here the first part of the Psalm closes; the close recurs to the language of the opening (Psa 51:3).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
A series of prayers for forgiveness and purifying. Purge . . . hyssop--The use of this plant in the ritual (Exo 12:22; Num 19:6, Num 19:18) suggests the idea of atonement as prominent here; "purge" refers to vicarious satisfaction (Num 19:17-20).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Purge me with hyssop,.... Or "thou shalt purge me with hyssop" (f); or "expiate me"; which was used in sprinkling the blood of the paschal lamb on the door posts of the Israelites in Egypt, that the destroying angel might pass over them, Exo 12:22; and in the cleansing of the leper, Lev 14:4; and in the purification of one that was unclean by the touch of a dead body, &c. Num 19:6; which the Targum on the text has respect to; and this petition of the psalmist shows that he saw himself a guilty creature, and in danger of the destroying angel, and a filthy creature like the leper, and deserving to be excluded from the society of the saints, and the house of God; and that he had respect not hereby to ceremonial sprinklings and purifications, for them he would have applied to a priest; but to the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, typified thereby; and therefore he applies to God to purge his conscience with it; and, as Suidas (g) from Theodoret observes, hyssop did not procure remission of sins, but has a mystical signification, and refers to what was meant by the sprinkling of the blood of the passover; and then he says, and I shall be clean; thoroughly clean; for the blood sprinkled on the heart by the spirit clears it from an evil conscience, purges the conscience from dead works, and cleanses from all sin; wash me; or "thou shall wash me" (h); alluding to the washing at the cleansing of a leper, and the purification of an unclean person, Lev 14:8; but had in view the fountain of Christ's blood, in which believers are washed from all their sins, Zac 13:1; and I shall be whiter than snow; who was black with original corruption, and actual transgressions; but the blood of Christ makes not only the conversation garments white that are washed in it; but even crimson and scarlet sins as white as wool, as white as snow, and the persons of the saints without spot or blemish, Rev 7:14, Eph 5:25; "whiter than the snow" is a phrase used by Homer (i), and others, to describe what is exceeding white. (f) "purificabis me", Pagninus, Montanus; "exiabis me", Vatablus, Musculus, Cocceius, Gejerus. (g) In voce (h) "lavabis me", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Musculus, Cocceius. (i) Iliad. 10. v. 437. So Martial. l. 7. Epigr. 27. Ovid. Amor. l. 3. Eleg. 6.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
I. See here what David prays for. Many excellent petitions he here puts up, to which if we do but add, "for Christ's sake," they are as evangelical as any other. 1. He prays that God would cleanse him from his sins and the defilement he had contracted by them (Psa 51:7): "Purge me with hyssop; that is, pardon my sins, and let me know that they are pardoned, that I may be restored to those privileges which by sin I have forfeited and lost." The expression here alludes to a ceremonial distinction, that of cleansing the leper, or those that were unclean by the touch of a body by sprinkling water, or blood, or both upon them with a bunch of hyssop, by which they were, at length, discharged from the restraints they were laid under by their pollution. "Lord, let me be as well assured of my restoration to thy favour, and to the privilege of communion with thee, as they were thereby assured of their re-admission to their former privileges." But it is founded upon gospel-grace: Purge me with hyssop, that is, with the blood of Christ applied to my soul by a lively faith, as water of purification was sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop. It is the blood of Christ (which is therefore called the blood of sprinkling, Heb 12:24), that purges the conscience from dead works, from that guilt of sin and dread of God which shut us out of communion with him, as the touch of a dead body, under the law, shut a man out from the courts of God's house. If this blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin, cleanse us from our sin, then we shall be clean indeed, Heb 10:2. If we be washed in this fountain opened, we shall be whiter than snow, not only acquitted but accepted; so those are that are justified. Isa 1:18, Though your sins have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. 2. He prays that, his sins being pardoned, he might have the comfort of that pardon. He asks not to be comforted till first he is cleansed; but if sin, the bitter root of sorrow, be taken away, he can pray in faith, "Make me to hear joy and gladness (Psa 51:8), that is, let me have a well-grounded peace, of thy creating, thy speaking, so that the bones which thou hast broken by convictions and threatenings may rejoice, may not only be set again, and eased from the pain, but may be sensibly comforted, and, as the prophet speaks, may flourish as a herb." Note, (1.) The pain of a heart truly broken for sin may well be compared to that of a broken bone; and it is the same Spirit who as a Spirit of bondage smites and wounds and as a Spirit of adoption heals and binds up. (2.) The comfort and joy that arise from a sealed pardon to a penitent sinner are as refreshing as perfect ease from the most exquisite pain. (3.) It is God's work, not only to speak this joy and gladness, but to make us hear it and take the comfort of it. He earnestly desires that God would lift up the light of his countenance upon him, and so put gladness into his heart, that he would not only be reconciled to him, but, which is a further act of grace, let him know that he was so. 3. He prays for a complete and effectual pardon. This is that which he is most earnest for as the foundation of his comfort (Psa 51:9): "Hide thy face from my sins, that is, be not provoked by them to deal with me as I deserve; they are ever before me, let them be cast behind thy back. Blot out all my iniquities out of the book of thy account; blot them out, as a cloud is blotted out and dispelled by the beams of the sun," Isa 44:22. 4. He prays for sanctifying grace; and this every true penitent is as earnest for as for pardon and peace, Psa 51:10. He does not pray, "Lord, preserve me my reputation," as Saul, I have sinned, yet honour me before this people. No; his great concern is to get his corrupt nature changed: the sin he had been guilty of was, (1.) An evidence of its impurity, and therefore he prays, Create in me a clean heart, O God! He now saw, more than ever, what an unclean heart he had, and sadly laments it, but sees it is not in his own power to amend it, and therefore begs of God (whose prerogative it is to create) that he would create in him a clean heart. He only that made the heart can new-make it; and to his power nothing is impossible. He created the world by the word of his power as the God of nature, and it is by the word of his power as the God of grace that we are clean (Joh 15:3), that we are sanctified, Joh 17:17. (2.) It was the cause of its disorder, and undid much of the good work that had been wrought in him; and therefore he prays, "Lord, renew a right spirit within me; repair the decays of spiritual strength which this sin has been the cause of, and set me to rights again." Renew a constant spirit within me, so some. He had, in this matter, discovered much inconstancy and inconsistency with himself, and therefore he prays, "Lord, fix me for the time to come, that I may never in like manner depart from thee." 5. He prays for the continuance of God's good-will towards him and the progress of his good work in him, Psa 51:11. (1.) That he might never be shut out from God's favour: "Cast me not away from thy presence, as one whom thou abhorrest and canst not endure to look upon." He prays that he might not be thrown out of God's protection, but that wherever he went, he might have the divine presence with him, might be under the guidance of his wisdom and in the custody of his power, and that he might not be forbidden communion with God: "Let me not be banished thy courts, but always have liberty of access to thee by prayer." He does not deprecate the temporal judgments which God by Nathan had threatened to bring upon him. "God's will be done; but, Lord, rebuke me no in thy wrath. If the sword come into my house never to depart from it, yet let me have a God to go to in my distresses, and all shall be well." (2.) That he might never be deprived of God's grace: Take not thy Holy Spirit from me. He knew he had by his sin grieved the Spirit and provoked him to with draw, and that because he also was flesh God might justly have said that his Spirit should no more strive with him nor work upon him, Gen 6:3. This he dreads more than any thing. We are undone if God take his Holy Spirit from us. Saul was a sad instance of this. How exceedingly sinful, how exceedingly miserable, was he, when the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him! David knew it, and therefore begs thus earnestly: "Lord, whatever thou take from me, my children, my crown, my life, yet take not thy Holy Spirit from me" (see Sa2 7:15), "but continue thy Holy Spirit with me, to perfect the work of my repentance, to prevent my relapse into sin, and to enable me to discharge my duty both as a prince and as a psalmist." 6. He prays for the restoration of divine comforts and the perpetual communications of divine grace, Psa 51:12. David finds two ill effects of his sin: - (1.) It had made him sad, and therefore he prays, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. A child of God knows no true nor solid joy but the joy of God's salvation, joy in God his Saviour and in the hope of eternal life. By wilful sin we forfeit this joy and deprive ourselves of it; our evidences cannot but be clouded and our hopes shaken. When we give ourselves so much cause to doubt of our interest in the salvation, how can we expect the joy of it? But, when we truly repent, we may pray and hope that God will restore to us those joys. Those that sow in penitential tears shall reap in the joys of God's salvation when the times of refreshing shall come. (2.) It had made him weak, and therefore he prays, "Uphold me with the free Spirit: I am ready to fall, either into sin or into despair; Lord, sustain me; my own spirit" (though the spirit of a man will go far towards the sustaining of his infirmity) "is not sufficient; if I be left to myself, I shall certainly sink; therefore uphold me with thy Spirit, let him counterwork the evil spirit that would cast me down from my excellency. Thy Spirit is a free spirit, a free gent himself, working freely" (and that makes those free whom he works upon, for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty) - "thy ingenuous princely Spirit." He was conscious to himself of having acted, in the matter of Uriah, very disingenuously and unlike a prince; his behaviour was base and paltry: "Lord," says he, "let thy Spirit inspire my soul with noble and generous principles, that I may always act as becomes me." A free spirit will be a firm and fixed spirit, and will uphold us. The more cheerful we are in our duty the more constant we shall be to it. II. See what David here promises, Psa 51:13. Observe, 1. What good work he promises to do: I will teach transgressors thy ways. David had been himself a transgressor, and therefore could speak experimentally to transgressors, and resolves, having himself found mercy with God in the way of repentance, to teach others God's ways, that is, (1.) Our way to God by repentance; he would teach others that had sinned to take the same course that he had taken, to humble themselves, to confess their sins, and seek God's face; and, (2.) God's way towards us in pardoning mercy; how ready he is to receive those that return to him. He taught the former by his own example, for the direction of sinners in repenting; he taught the latter by his own experience, for their encouragement. By this psalm he is, and will be to the world's end, teaching transgressors, telling them what God had done for his soul. Note, Penitents should be preachers. Solomon was so, and blessed Paul. 2. What good effect he promises himself from his doing this: "Sinners shall be converted unto thee, and shall neither persist in their wanderings from thee, nor despair of finding mercy in their returns to thee." The great thing to be aimed at in teaching transgressors is their conversion to God; that is a happy point gained, and happy are those that are instrumental to contribute towards it, Jam 5:20.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
51:7 Purify me from my sins (literally Purify me with the hyssop branch; see Exod 12:22; Lev 14:4; John 19:29; Heb 9:19): The psalmist depends on God to purify and renew him (see Isa 1:18).