Psalms 51:9
Psalms 51:9 in Multiple Translations
Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities.
Let your face be turned from my wrongdoing, and take away all my sins.
Turn your face away from looking at my sins; please wipe away my guilt.
Hide thy face from my sinnes, and put away all mine iniquities.
Hide Thy face from my sin. And all mine iniquities blot out.
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity.
Do not continue to look at the sins [IDM] that I have committed; erase the record of the evil things that I have done.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 51:9
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 51:9 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
תְּחַטְּאֵ֣/נִי
בְ/אֵז֣וֹב
וְ/אֶטְהָ֑ר
תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗/נִי
וּ/מִ/שֶּׁ֥לֶג
אַלְבִּֽין
תְּחַטְּאֵ֣/נִי
châṭâʼ
H2398
to sin
V-Piel-Imperf-2ms | Suff
בְ/אֵז֣וֹב
ʼêzôwb
H231
hyssop
Prep | N-ms
וְ/אֶטְהָ֑ר
ṭâhêr
H2891
be pure
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗/נִי
kâbaç
H3526
to wash
V-Piel-Imperf-2ms | Suff
וּ/מִ/שֶּׁ֥לֶג
sheleg
H7950
snow
Conj | Prep | N-ms
אַלְבִּֽין
lâban
H3835
to whiten
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 51:9
תְּחַטְּאֵ֣/נִי
châṭâʼ
H2398
"to sin"
V-Piel-Imperf-2ms | Suff
To sin means to miss the mark or go wrong, incurring guilt or penalty, and can also mean to repent or make amends. It is used in the Bible to describe wrongdoing and its consequences.
Definition: 1) to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to miss 1a2) to sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty 1a3) to incur guilt, incur penalty by sin, forfeit 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to bear loss 1b2) to make a sin-offering 1b3) to purify from sin 1b4) to purify from uncleanness 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to miss the mark 1c2) to induce to sin, cause to sin 1c3) to bring into guilt or condemnation or punishment 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to miss oneself, lose oneself, wander from the way 1d2) to purify oneself from uncleanness
Usage: Occurs in 220 OT verses. KJV: bear the blame, cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass. See also: Genesis 20:6; 1 Kings 15:34; Psalms 4:5.
בְ/אֵז֣וֹב
ʼêzôwb
H231
"hyssop"
Prep | N-ms
In the Bible, hyssop is a plant used for medicine and rituals, mentioned in the book of Exodus. It symbolizes purification and cleansing. The Israelites used it to apply blood to doorposts.
Definition: hyssop, a plant used for medicinal and religious purposes
Usage: Occurs in 10 OT verses. KJV: hyssop. See also: Exodus 12:22; Leviticus 14:52; Psalms 51:9.
וְ/אֶטְהָ֑ר
ṭâhêr
H2891
"be pure"
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be pure, either physically, morally, or ceremonially. It appears in Leviticus for purification rituals and in Psalm 51 where David asks God to purify his heart. This concept is central to Jewish and Christian ideas of cleanliness and holiness.
Definition: 1) to be clean, be pure 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be clean (physically-of disease) 1a2) to be clean ceremonially 1a3) to purify, be clean morally, made clean 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to cleanse, purify 1b1a) physically 1b1b) ceremonially 1b1c) morally 1b2) to pronounce clean 1b3) to perform the ceremony of cleansing 1c) (Pual) to be cleansed, be pronounced clean 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to purify oneself 1d1a) ceremonially 1d1b) morally 1d2) to present oneself for purification
Usage: Occurs in 80 OT verses. KJV: be (make, make self, pronounce) clean, cleanse (self), purge, purify(-ier, self). See also: Genesis 35:2; Numbers 19:12; Psalms 51:4.
תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗/נִי
kâbaç
H3526
"to wash"
V-Piel-Imperf-2ms | Suff
To wash means to clean something, often by trampling or stamping on it with the feet, as seen in the process of washing clothes.
Definition: 1) to wash (by treading), be washed, perform the work of a fuller 1a) (Qal) washer, fuller, treader (participle) 1b) (Piel) to wash (garments, person) 1c) (Pual) to be washed 1d) (Hothpael) to be washed out
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: fuller, wash(-ing). See also: Genesis 49:11; Leviticus 15:21; Psalms 51:4.
וּ/מִ/שֶּׁ֥לֶג
sheleg
H7950
"snow"
Conj | Prep | N-ms
Sheleg means snow in Hebrew, likely due to its white color. It is also used in Aramaic as te.lag.
Definition: snow Aramaic equivalent: te.lag (תְּלַג "snow" H8517)
Usage: Occurs in 20 OT verses. KJV: snow(-y). See also: Exodus 4:6; Psalms 51:9; Psalms 147:16.
אַלְבִּֽין
lâban
H3835
"to whiten"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to make bricks, often from clay or mud. It's used to describe the process of building and construction, like the tower of Babel. The word is about creating something new.
Definition: 1) to be white 1a) (Hiphil) 1a1) to make white, become white, purify 1a2) to show whiteness, grow white 1b) (Hithpael) to become white, be purified (ethical)
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: make brick, be (made, make) white(-r). See also: Genesis 11:3; Isaiah 1:18; Psalms 51:9.
Study Notes — Psalms 51:9
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 51:9 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 51:9
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 51:9
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 51:9
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 51:9
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 51:9
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 51:9
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 51:9
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 51:9
- Sermons on Psalms 51:9
Context — Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
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.
9Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 16:17 | For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from My face, and their guilt is not concealed from My eyes. |
| 2 | Micah 7:18–19 | Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance— who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion? He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast out all our sins into the depths of the sea. |
| 3 | Psalms 51:1 | Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. |
| 4 | Colossians 2:14 | having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! |
| 5 | Isaiah 38:17 | Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. |
Psalms 51:9 Summary
In Psalms 51:9, David is asking God to forgive him and forget his sins, which is a cry for mercy and love. This means that David wants God to turn away from his sins and not see them anymore, similar to how God promises in Jeremiah 31:34 to remember our sins no more. By asking God to 'hide His face' from his sins, David is showing how much he values God's presence and holiness in his life, and he wants to be clean and pure like the snow mentioned in Psalms 51:7. This verse teaches us that we can ask God for forgiveness and He will cleanse us from all our wrongdoings, as seen in Psalms 103:12, and give us a clean heart and a new spirit, as promised in Psalms 51:10 and Ezekiel 36:26.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'hide Your face from my sins' in Psalms 51:9?
This phrase is a heartfelt plea for God to turn away from our sinful actions, acknowledging that our sins are an offense to Him, as seen in Psalms 51:9 and supported by the concept of God's holiness in Leviticus 11:44-45.
How can God 'blot out all my iniquities' as requested in Psalms 51:9?
This refers to God's power to completely forgive and remove our sins, as promised in Psalms 103:12 and Jeremiah 31:34, where He remembers them no more.
Is this verse asking God to ignore or condone sin?
No, this verse is a cry for mercy and forgiveness, acknowledging the gravity of sin, similar to what is expressed in Psalms 38:18, where the psalmist confesses his sins to God.
What is the significance of this verse in the context of the entire Psalm?
Psalms 51:9 is a central part of David's prayer for cleansing and restoration after sin, emphasizing his desire for a clean heart and renewed spirit, as seen in the surrounding verses like Psalms 51:7 and Psalms 51:10.
Reflection Questions
- What are the sins in my life that I need to ask God to 'hide His face from' and 'blot out'?
- How does acknowledging the depth of my sinfulness, as in Psalms 51:9, affect my relationship with God?
- In what ways can I, like David, express my sorrow for sin and my desire for forgiveness to God?
- What does it mean for me to experience the joy and gladness mentioned in the preceding verse, Psalms 51:8, after seeking forgiveness?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 51:9
Hide thy face from my sins,.... In whose sight they were committed, being now ashamed of them himself, and ashamed that any should see them, and especially his God; and being filthy and nauseous, he
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 51:9
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities - namely, from thy book of remembrance, so as never to rise in judgment against me (Psalms 51:1).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 51:9
Do not look upon them with an eye of indignation and revenge, but forget and forgive them. See .
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 51:9
Psalms 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.Ver. 9. Hide thy face from my sins] We are not able to endure God’ s presence, much less his justice for our sins; nor can there be any sound peace of conscience while he frowneth. His favour is better than life, but his displeasure more bitter than death itself. See 2 Samuel 14:32. And blot out all mine iniquities] See how one sin calleth to mind many thousands; which though they lie asleep a long time, like a sleeping debt, yet we know not how soon they may be reckoned for. Make sure of a general pardon; and take heed of adding new sins to the old.
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 51:9
(9) Hide thy face . . .—i.e., thy angry look. (See Psalms 21:9.) More usually the expression is used in the opposite sense of hiding the gracious look. As long as Jehovah kept the offences before Him the breach in the covenant must continue.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 51:9
Verse 9. Hide thy face from my sins] The sentiment here is nearly the same as that in Psalms 51:3: His sin was ever before his own face; and he knew that the eye of God was constantly upon him, and that his purity and justice must be highly incensed on the account. He therefore, with a just horror of his transgressions, begs God to turn away his face from them, and to blot them out, so that they may never more be seen. See Clarke on Psalms 51:1.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 51:9
9–12. Repeated prayer for pardon, cleansing, and renewal. The change from the future to the imperative (see above) indicates that a fresh division of the Ps. begins here.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 51:9
Hide thy face from my sins - That is, Do not look on them; avert thy face from them; do not regard them. Compare the notes at Psalms 13:1. And blot out all mine iniquities - Take them entirely away.
Sermons on Psalms 51:9
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Walking in the Light by J. Glyn Owen | In 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 t |
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The True Nature of Revival in the Local Church by Ralph Sutera | In 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 |
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David's Attempt to Cover His Sin Part 2 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses the story of David's attempt to cover up his sin. David initially tries to manipulate the situation by having Uriah, the husband of the |
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Two Infamous Strumpets by Thomas Brooks | Thomas Brooks emphasizes the omnipresence and omniscience of God, asserting that no sin, whether secret or open, can escape His watchful eye. He illustrates that even the most hidd |
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The Discipline of Defeat by Denis Lyle | Denis Lyle preaches on 'The Discipline of Defeat' using the story of Achan's sin in the Bible to illustrate how even the smallest sin can have significant consequences, affecting n |
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(1 Peter - Part 2): God's Abundant Mercy by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher begins by describing a man who wanted to look presentable before going to a fine place. However, he was rejected because the artist wanted him as he wa |
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God Is Forgiveness by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the increasing power of temptation in the modern world, particularly through the internet and television. He highlights the negative impact |