Psalms 51:9 — Word Study
WLCהַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נֶיךָ מֵחֲטָאָ֑י וְֽכָל־ עֲוֹ֖נֹתַ֣י מְחֵֽה׃
BSAto sinchâṭâʼ hyssopʼêzôwb be pureṭâhêr to washkâbaç snowsheleg to whitenlâban
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַסְתֵּ֣ר | hide | Verb, Hiphil, imperative second person masculine singular |
| פָּ֭נֶיךָ | face your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| מֵחֲטָאָ֑י | from sins my | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| וְֽכָל־ | and all | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| עֲוֹ֖נֹתַ֣י | iniquities my | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| מְחֵֽה׃ | wipe out | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. |
| KJV | Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. |
| ASV | Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities. |
| YLT | Hide Thy face from my sin. And all mine iniquities blot out. |
| WEB | Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities. |
| BBE | Let your face be turned from my wrongdoing, and take away all my sins. |
There are no significant differences among the translations on this verse.
The verse consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction, clearly outlining David's requests to God.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָטָא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 51:9
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Plea for Forgivenessgenerated
Psalms 51:9 is part of a heartfelt plea from David, who acknowledges his sins and seeks God's mercy. This psalm reflects the deep sorrow and desire for restoration after wrongdoing, emphasizing the need for divine forgiveness and cleansing, as seen in the surrounding verses that express longing for joy and a renewed spirit.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 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. |
| 2 | 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. |
| 3 | 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? |
| 4 | Psalm 51:1 | Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. |
| 5 | 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! |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הַסְתֵּ֣ר, has.Tergenerated
The verb הַסְתֵּר (has.Ter) is a Hiphil imperative, meaning 'to hide' or 'to conceal.' It indicates a command directed at God, asking Him to turn away His face from David's sins, suggesting a desire for God's absence from his wrongdoing.
This construction emphasizes the psalmist's recognition of the severity of his sin and his plea for God's mercy. The Hiphil stem indicates causation, implying that God has the power to hide or turn away, reinforcing the psalmist's dependence on divine action.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main action of the verse is governed by two finite verbs: הַסְתֵּ֣ר (hide) and מְחֵֽה (wipe out), which are both commands directed to God. The structure is straightforward, with the verbs leading the requests followed by the objects of those requests.
The sentence flows from a plea for God to turn away from the psalmist's sins to a request for the complete removal of all iniquities, emphasizing the earnestness of David's appeal for forgiveness.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew הַסְתֵּ֣ר is rendered as ῥαντιεῖς, which conveys the idea of sprinkling or cleansing. This choice suggests a more ritualistic interpretation of the act of hiding or turning away from sin, implying a purification process.
The translation of מְחֵֽה as ξιόνα indicates a similar focus on erasure, aligning with the theme of cleansing and the removal of guilt through divine intervention.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 51:9 shows David asking God to turn away from his sins and completely erase his wrongdoings. This verse is part of a larger psalm where David expresses his deep regret and desire for forgiveness, seeking to restore his relationship with God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
David is expressing a desire for God to turn away from his sins, indicating his awareness of his wrongdoing and his plea for mercy.
To blot out iniquities means to completely erase or remove the guilt and consequences of sin, restoring the individual to a state of righteousness.
This verse illustrates the heart of repentance, where the sinner acknowledges their wrongdoing and seeks forgiveness from God.
The imagery reflects the psalmist's deep longing for God's mercy and the desire for a clean slate, emphasizing the seriousness of sin and the need for divine intervention.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I seek God's forgiveness for my own sins and iniquities?
- How does understanding the depth of my wrongdoing help me appreciate God's mercy?
- What steps can I take to ensure I am living in a way that honors God's forgiveness?
- How can I help others understand the importance of repentance and seeking God's face?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers often referenced this verse in discussions of sin and repentance, illustrating its theological significance in understanding God's mercy.
"Turn Thou away Your face from my sins, and all mine iniquities blot out" [Psalms 51:9]. For now bones humbled exult, now with hyssop cleansed, humble I have become.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 51 →
So all past sins are forgiven people on conversion; but for the rest of this life there are certain grave and deadly sins,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 51 →
God does not listen to sinners. When he was beating his breast, he was punishing his sins; when he was punishing his sins, he was associating himself with God as judge.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 51 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 51:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHide 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
Read John Gill on Psalms 51 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHide 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).
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 51 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleDo not look upon them with an eye of indignation and revenge, but forget and forgive them. See .
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 51 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 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.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 51 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(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.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 51 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 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.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 51 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges9–12. 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.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 51 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHide 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.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 51 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities.
Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Hide your face from my sins! Wipe away all my guilt!
Tyndale line
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine 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.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Hide thy face from my sinnes, and put away all mine iniquities.
Strictly literal
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Hide Thy face from my sin. And all mine iniquities blot out.
Hide Your face from my sin. And blot out all my iniquities.
(51:11) Hide thy face from my sins, and all my iniquities do thou blot out.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
From the Latin
Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity.
Simplified
Turn your face away from looking at my sins; please wipe away my guilt.
Let your face be turned from my wrongdoing, and take away all my sins.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all words matched in the Hebrew and Greek versions. This consistency highlights the shared understanding of the plea for divine mercy and forgiveness.
הַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נֶיךָ מֵחֲטָאָ֑י וְֽכָל־ עֲוֹ֖נֹתַ֣י מְחֵֽה׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 51:9
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
סָתַר (sa.tar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to hide or conceal. It encompasses various forms, including hiding oneself, being hidden, and carefully concealing something or someone. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical aspects, such as the Niphal, Piel, Pual, Hiphil, and Hithpael stems. The Aramaic equivalent is noted as סְתַר.
סָתַר vb. hide, conceal
Niph.
hide oneself
be hid, concealed
Pi. Imv. carefully hide (i.e. shelter) the outcasts
Pu. Pt. love carefully concealed
Hithp. hide oneself carefully
Hiph. conceal, hide
base
H5641 סָתַר hide, conceal . . hide oneself
. be hid, concealed
. Imv. carefully hide (i.e. shelter) the outcasts
. Pt. love carefully concealed
. hide oneself carefully
. conceal, hide
5641 cathar saw-thar'
a primitive root; to hide (by covering), literally or
figuratively:--be absent, keep close, conceal, hide (self),
(keep) secret, X surely.
סָתַר (sa.tar) — to hide.
1) to hide, conceal
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to hide oneself
1a2) to be hidden, be concealed
1b) (Piel) to hide carefully
1c) (Pual) to be hidden carefully, be concealed
1d) (Hiphil) to conceal, hide
1e) (Hithpael) to hide oneself carefully
Aramaic equivalent: se.tar (סְתַר "to hide" H5642A)
HVhv2ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine singularHVhv2ms
The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
face, faces
presence, person
technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
face of seraphim
face of animals
face (= surface) of ground
as adv.loc. before
for other phrases
with prepositions
base
H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces
. . presence, person
. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
. face of seraphim
. face of animals
. face (= surface) of ground
. as adv. loc. before
. for other phrases
. with prepositions
6440 paniym paw-neem'
plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh
{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);
used in a great variety of applications (literally and
figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a
preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),
against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),
+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,
face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er
time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +
honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +
meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,
open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,
presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right
forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,
X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.
: before/to/front
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.
: face
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…
HNcmpc/Sp2ms — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2ms
חֵטְא (chet) refers to sin, encompassing the concepts of guilt associated with sin and the punishment that follows. It is derived from a root meaning 'to miss' or 'to err.' The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, highlighting both the act of sinning and its consequences.
חֵטְא n.m. sin
sin
guilt of sin
punishment for sin
base
H2399 חֵטְא sin . sin
. guilt of sin
. punishment for sin
2399 chet' khate
from 2398; a crime or its penalty:--fault, X grievously,
offence, (punishment of) sin.
see HEBREW for 02398
חֵטְא (chet) — sin.
1) sin
1a) sin
1b) guilt for sin
1c) punishment for sin
Aramaic equivalent: cha.ti (חֲטָי "sin" H2408)
HR/Ncmpc/Sp1bs — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp1bs
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
HC/Ncmsc — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
עָוֹן (avon) refers to iniquity, guilt, or the punishment associated with iniquity. It encompasses concepts of moral evil, such as perversity and depravity, and includes the consequences or punishment for these actions. The term appears in contexts like 2 Kings 7:9 and Psalm 51:5, highlighting its significance in discussions of sin and guilt.
עָוֹן n.m. iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity
base
H5771 עָוֹן iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity
5771 `avon aw-vone'
or oavown (2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 51:5 (7)) {aw-vone'}; from
5753; perversity, i.e. (moral) evil:--fault, iniquity,
mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin.
see HEBREW for 07
see HEBREW for 05753
עָוֺן (a.van) — iniquity: crime.
: crime
1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity
1a) iniquity
1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)
1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity
עָוֺן (a.van) — iniquity: guilt.
: guilt
1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity
1a) iniquity
1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)
1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity
עָוֺן (a.van) — iniquity: punishment.
: punishment
1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity
1a) iniquity
1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)
1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity
HNcfpc/Sp1bs — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word מָחָה (machah) primarily means to wipe or erase, with implications of obliteration or destruction. It can denote actions like striking or smoothing, and has various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as being wiped out or blotted from memory. Notably, it appears in Numbers 34:11 and Isaiah 25:6.
H4229a מָחָה wipe, wipe out H4229b מָחָה strike H4229c מָחָה vb. denom. only Pu. Pt. fat pieces full of marrow
4229 machah maw-khaw'
a primitive root; properly, to stroke or rub; by implication,
to erase; also to smooth (as if with oil), i.e. grease or make
fat; also to touch, i.e. reach to:--abolish, blot out,
destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, X utterly, wipe
(away, out).
מָחָה (ma.chah) — to wipe.
1) to wipe, wipe out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to wipe
1a2) to blot out, obliterate
1a3) to blot out, exterminate
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be wiped out
1b2) to be blotted out
1b3) to be exterminated
1c) (Hiphil) to blot out (from memory)
מָחָה (ma.chah) — to strike.
(Qal) to strike
מָחָה (ma.chah) — be marrow.
(Pual) full of marrow (participle)
HVqv2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms