Psalms 51

The psalmist, with a deeply penitent heart, prays for remission of sins, Psalm 51:1-4 ; which he confesses, and deeply deplores, Psalm 51:5-14 ; states his willingness to offer sacrifice, but is convinced that God prefers a broken heart to all kinds of oblations, Psalm 51:15-17 ; prays for the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem, and promises that then the Lord's sacrifice shall be properly performed, Psalm 51:18 , Psalm 51:19 .

The title is long: "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba." The propriety of this title has been greatly suspected, says Bishop Horsley: "That this Psalm was not written on the occasion to which the title refers, is evident from the Psalm 51:4 ; and Psalm 51:18 . The Psalm 51:4 ; ill suits the case of David, who laid a successful plot against Uriah's life, after he had defiled his bed: and the Psalm 51:18 ; refers the Psalm to the time of the captivity, when Jerusalem lay in ruins." Dr. Kennicott is of the same mind. He says: "The title is misplaced; that it was written during the captivity, and the cessation of the temple worship; the author under great depression of mind, arising from the guilt of some crime, probably some compliance with heathen idolatry, not murder nor adultery; is plain from the Psalm 51:4 , "Against Thee Only have I sinned."

The crime mentioned in the title was not only against God, but against the whole order of civil society; against the life of the noble and valiant captain whose wife Bath-sheba was, and against every thing sacred in friendship and hospitality. It was a congeries of sins against God and society. Were it not for the Psalm 51:4 , Psalm 51:18 , and Psalm 51:19 , the rest of the Psalm would accord well enough with the title, and the deep penitence it expresses would be suitable enough to David's state. But see on Psalm 51:4 ; (note), Psalm 51:18-19 ; (note).