Worthy.Bible » YLT » Psalms » Chapter 51 » Verse 3

Psalms 51:3 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

3 For my transgressions I do know, And my sin `is' before me continually.

Cross Reference

Isaiah 59:12 YLT

For our transgressions have been multiplied before Thee, And our sins have testified against us, For our transgressions `are' with us, And our iniquities -- we have known them.

Proverbs 28:13 YLT

Whoso is covering his transgressions prospereth not, And he who is confessing and forsaking hath mercy.

Psalms 32:5 YLT

My sin I cause Thee to know, And mine iniquity I have not covered. I have said, `I confess concerning My transgressions to Jehovah,' And Thou -- Thou hast taken away, The iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Psalms 38:18 YLT

For mine iniquity I declare, I am sorry for my sin.

Luke 15:18-21 YLT

having risen, I will go on unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I did sin -- to the heaven, and before thee, and no more am I worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hirelings. `And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him; and the son said to him, Father, I did sin -- to the heaven, and before thee, and no more am I worthy to be called thy son.

Leviticus 26:40-41 YLT

`And -- they have confessed their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they have trespassed against Me, and also, that they have walked with Me, in opposition, also I walk to them in opposition, and have brought them into the land of their enemies -- or then their uncircumcised heart is humbled, and then they accept the punishment of their iniquity, --

Nehemiah 9:2 YLT

and the seed of Israel are separated from all sons of a stranger, and stand and confess concerning their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers,

Job 33:27 YLT

He looketh on men, and saith, `I sinned, And uprightness I have perverted, And it hath not been profitable to me.

Psalms 40:12 YLT

For compassed me have evils innumerable, Overtaken me have mine iniquities, And I have not been able to see; They have been more than the hairs of my head, And my heart hath forsaken me.

Jeremiah 3:25 YLT

We have lain down in our shame, and cover us doth our confusion, For against Jehovah our God we have sinned, We, and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, Nor have we hearkened to the voice of Jehovah our God!

Commentary on Psalms 51 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


PSALM 51

Ps 51:1-19. On the occasion, compare 2Sa 11:12. The Psalm illustrates true repentance, in which are comprised conviction, confession, sorrow, prayer for mercy, and purposes of amendment, and it is accompanied by a lively faith.

1-4. A plea for mercy is a confession of guilt.

blot out—as from a register.

transgressions—literally, "rebellions" (Ps 19:13; 32:1).

2. Wash me—Purity as well as pardon is desired by true penitents.

3. For … before me—Conviction precedes forgiveness; and, as a gift of God, is a plea for it (2Sa 12:13; Ps 32:5; 1Jo 1:9).

4. Against thee—chiefly, and as sins against others are violations of God's law, in one sense only.

that … judgest—that is, all palliation of his crime is excluded; it is the design in making this confession to recognize God's justice, however severe the sentence.

5, 6. His guilt was aggravated by his essential, native sinfulness, which is as contrary to God's requisitions of inward purity as are outward sins to those for right conduct.

6. thou shalt make, &c.—may be taken to express God's gracious purpose in view of His strict requisition; a purpose of which David might have availed himself as a check to his native love for sin, and, in not doing so, aggravated his guilt.

truth … and …wisdom—are terms often used for piety (compare Job 28:28; Ps 119:30).

7-12. A series of prayers for forgiveness and purifying.

Purge … hyssop—The use of this plant in the ritual (Ex 12:22; Nu 19:6, 18) suggests the idea of atonement as prominent here; "purge" refers to vicarious satisfaction (Nu 19:17-20).

8. Make … joy—by forgiving me, which will change distress to joy.

9. Hide, &c.—Turn from beholding.

10. Create—a work of almighty power.

in me—literally, "to me," or, "for me"; bestow as a gift, a heart free from taint of sin (Ps 24:4; 73:1).

renew—implies that he had possessed it; the essential principle of a new nature had not been lost, but its influence interrupted (Lu 22:32); for Ps 51:11 shows that he had not lost God's presence and Spirit (1Sa 16:13), though he had lost the "joy of his salvation" (Ps 51:12), for whose return he prays.

right spirit—literally, "constant," "firm," not yielding to temptation.

12. free spirit—"thy" ought not to be supplied, for the word "free" is, literally, "willing," and "spirit" is that of David. "Let a willing spirit uphold me," that is, with a soul willingly conformed to God's law, he would be preserved in a right course of conduct.

13. Then—Such will be the effect of this gracious work.

ways—of providence and human duty (Ps 18:21, 30; 32:8; Lu 22:32).

14. Deliver—or, "Free me" (Ps 39:8) from the guilt of murder (2Sa 12:9, 10; Ps 5:6).

righteousness—as in Ps 7:17; 31:1.

15. open … lips—by removing my sense of guilt.

16. Praise is better than sacrifice (Ps 50:14), and implying faith, penitence, and love, glorifies God. In true penitents the joys of pardon mingle with sorrow for sin.

18. Do good, &c.—Visit not my sin on Thy Church.

build … walls—is to show favor; compare Ps 89:40, for opposite form and idea.

19. God reconciled, material sacrifices will be acceptable (Ps 4:5; compare Isa 1:11-17).