Psalms 51:1

Psalms 51:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
• New International Version (NIV)Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.

Context of Psalms 51:1

Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. 2Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. 3For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me.

Psalms 51:1 word by word

חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱלֹהִ֣ים כְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ כְּרֹ֥ב רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ מְחֵ֣ה פְשָׁעָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Have mercyחָנַןchânan · be graciousH2603
• upon me, O Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• according to thy lovingkindnessחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
• according unto the multitudeרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
• of thy tender merciesרַחֲמִיםracham · compassionH7356
• blot outמָחָהmâchâh · to wipeH4229
• my transgressionsפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588

Cross-references for Psalms 51:1

• 2 Samuel 12:1So the Lord sent Nathan to David. When he arrived, he said to him: There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
• 2 Samuel 11:2One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing — a very beautiful woman.
• Psalms 25:6Remember, Lord, your compassion and your faithful love, for they have existed from antiquity.
• Psalms 109:21But you, Lord, my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name’s sake; because your faithful love is good, rescue me.
• Psalms 119:124Deal with your servant based on your faithful love; teach me your statutes.
• Exodus 34:6The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: The Lord — the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth,
• Numbers 14:18The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and rebellion. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generation.
• Daniel 9:9Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him
• Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not hold on to his anger forever because he delights in faithful love.
• Micah 7:19He will again have compassion on us; he will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
• Romans 5:20The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more
• Ephesians 1:6to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
• Ephesians 2:4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,
• Psalms 5:7But I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love; I bow down toward your holy temple in reverential awe of you.
• Psalms 69:13But as for me, Lord, my prayer to you is for a time of favor. In your abundant, faithful love, God, answer me with your sure salvation.
• Psalms 106:7Our ancestors in Egypt did not grasp the significance of your wondrous works or remember your many acts of faithful love; instead, they rebelled by the sea — the Red Sea.

Commentaries on Psalms 51:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Have mercy upon me, O God - Without mercy I am totally, finally ruined and undone. According to thy loving-kindness - Mark the gradation in the sense of these three words, Have Mercy on me, חנני chonneni ; thy Loving-Kindness, חסדך chasdecha ; - thy Tender Mercies, רחמיך rachameycha, here used to express the Divine compassion. The propriety of the order in which they are placed deserves particular observation. The first, rendered have mercy or pity…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Have mercy opon me, O God - This is the utterance of a full heart; a heart crushed and broken by the consciousness of sin. The psalmist had been made to see his great guilt; and his first act is to cry out for mercy. There is no attempt to excuse his sin, or to apologise for it; there is no effort to vindicate his conduct; there is no complaint of the righteousness of that holy law which condemned him. It was “guilt” that was before his mind; guilt only…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline The psalmist prays for mercy, humbly confessing and lamenting his sins. (1-6) He pleads for pardon, that he may promote the glory of God and the conversion of sinners. (7-15) God is pleased with a contrite heart, A prayer for the prosperity of Zion. (16-19) Verses 1-6 David, being convinced of his sin, poured out his soul to God in prayer for mercy and grace. Whither should backsliding children return, but to the Lord their God, who alone…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1A prayer for God's mercy and kindness is a type of lament. Sometimes, the psalmist asks for mercy because he recognizes his own weakness and sin (see also Psalm 6:2; 9:13; 25:16; 31:9; 41:4, 10). Other times, the plea comes from the psalmist's dedication to the Lord (see Psalm 26:11; 27:7; 119:29, 58, 132). In every situation, God's mercy leads to inner renewal.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-191-4. A plea for mercy is a confession of guilt. blot out--as from a register. transgressions--literally, "rebellions" (Psa 19:13; 32:1).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 51:1

• Conscience
• Conviction
• Desire
• Homicide
• Prayer
• Remorse
• Repentance

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Acknowledge
• Bathsheba
• Bloodguiltiness
• Blot
• Clean
• Conceive
• Contrite
• Create

Commentaries on Psalms 51

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings