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

Have pity on me, O God, in keeping with your mercy. In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts. 2Wash me thoroughly from my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin. 3I admit that I am rebellious. My sin is always in front of 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. Nathan came to him and said, “There were two men in a certain city. One was rich, and the other was poor.
• 2 Samuel 11:2Now, when evening came, David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the royal palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, and she was very pretty.
• Psalms 25:6Remember, O Lord, your compassionate and merciful deeds. They have existed from eternity.
• Psalms 109:21O Lord Almighty, deal with me out of the goodness of your name. Rescue me because of your mercy.
• Psalms 119:124Treat me with kindness, and teach me your laws.
• Exodus 34:6Then he passed in front of Moses, calling out, “The Lord, the Lord, a compassionate and merciful God, patient, always faithful and ready to forgive.
• Numbers 14:18‘The Lord … patient, forever loving…. He forgives wrongdoing and disobedience…. He never lets the guilty go unpunished, punishing children … for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation….’
• Daniel 9:9“But you, Lord our God, are compassionate and forgiving, although we have rebelled against you.
• Micah 7:18Who is a God like you? You forgive sin and overlook the rebellion of your faithful people. You will not be angry forever, because you would rather show mercy.
• Micah 7:19You will again have compassion on us. You will overcome our wrongdoing. You will throw all our sins into the deep sea.
• Romans 5:20The laws in Moses’ Teachings were added to increase the failure. But where sin increased, God’s kindness increased even more.
• Ephesians 1:6so that the kindness he had given us in his dear Son would be praised and given glory.
• Ephesians 2:4But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us.
• Psalms 5:7But I will enter your house because of your great mercy. Out of reverence for you, I will bow toward your holy temple.
• Psalms 69:13May my prayer come to you at an acceptable time, O Lord. O God, out of the greatness of your mercy, answer me with the truth of your salvation.
• Psalms 106:7When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles. They did not remember your numerous acts of mercy, so they rebelled at 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