Introduction
To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
The date, authorship, and occasion of this psalm point to 2 Samuel 12:0, as fully suggested by the title. As a penitential psalm it holds a pre-eminent rank. Its profoundly spiritual, doctrinal, evangelical character, has caused it to be widely repeated in the Church in all ages in homily, in hymns, and in litanies. It fathoms the depth of true contrition and confession, and is the true out-reaching of a sinking soul after God.
The most general division of the psalm may be rendered in two parts, the prayer for forgiveness, Psalms 51:1-6; the prayer for renewal, Psalms 51:7-19. In Psalms 51:13-15, vows of praise and of activity in leading back transgressors are mingled with prayer. The last two verses have an air of liturgical supplementation to the psalm, as if by a later hand, but they should be considered as the natural outgoings of a king’s heart for the safety and prosperity of his people and capital, with an undertone of deprecation of that public wrath which was now due to his sins, and threatened his kingdom.
TITLE:
Chief Musician The precentor.
When Nathan the prophet came unto him See 2 Samuel 12:1-13.
After he had gone About a year after. 2 Samuel 12:14
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