Psalm 51 comes under the category of the Exodus Psalms, with a subheading of being under the Redeemed Psalms. This is a Psalm of David written regarding a very hard time in his life. David had sinned and technically his life was legally required for payment. But we see a wonderful story of David’s redemption when Yahweh steps in. David is very transparent regarding his heart’s desire to be cleansed. As we have studied, David’s amazing boldness in the courts of heaven, demanding death for his enemies and to be judged by his actions, David himself needs redemption. While his actions were less than perfect, his heart was perfect before Yahweh. Certainly this is good news for us. Yahweh built into the calendar two times of the year for us to reflect and cleanse our heart. While we can technically repent at anytime, Yahweh planned dedicated times to recognize sin, and to atone for that sin. Jesus’ blood cleanses us from our sin. Yet our heart, with its thoughts and intents, needs redirection, which is what repentance provides. The conclusion of David’s sin took place during the fall feasts, but as we approach the springs feasts, we can take the time to reconcile our hearts with Yahweh Elohim.
Yahweh doesn’t call perfect people to follow him, he calls sinners. He then draws those who are willing, into a full knowledge of the Elohim. Anyone can be saved. From Paul, who at one time advocated the murder of Christians, to Manasseh the spiritually evil king who led the southern kingdom astray, everyone and anyone can repent and turn their own heart back to Yahweh Elohim. Notice what Hosea tells us.
Hosea 6:6 G1360 For G1656 mercy G2309 I want, G2532 and G3756 not G2378 sacrifice; G2532 and G1922 full knowledge G2316 of God G3123 rather than G3646 whole burnt-offerings.
1922 LSJ Gloss:ἐπίγνωσις full knowledge
Dodson: ἐπίγνωσις knowledge, discernment, recognition
knowledge of a particular point (directed towards a particular object); perception, discernment, recognition, intuition.
Thayer:
1) precise and correct knowledge
1a) used in the NT of the knowledge of things ethical and divine
ἐπίγνωσις
epignōsis ip-ig'-no-sis From G1921; recognition, that is, (by implication) full discernment, acknowledgement
KJV Usage: (ac-) knowledge (-ing, -ment).
Yahweh would rather show mercy and compassion on us. He doesn’t want a revolving door of sacrifice offerings. This then requires a change of heart, but what changes our heart? Knowledge. We are to have an epignōsis, epi “on” or “over”, gnosis “knowledge”, of the Elohim, or in other words we are to become fully acquainted with the Elohim. We can see how Yahweh had mercy on David. And at a low point in his own life, David writes about his process of asking for cleansing.
Jesus reiterates Hosea twice. This is our guide for our own lives. Jesus is calling sinners to repentance.
Matthew 9:13 G4198 But having gone G1161 G3129 learn G5100 what G1510.2.3 it is said, G1656 Mercy G2309 I want, G2532 and G3756 not G2378 sacrifice! G3756 [3not G1063 1For not G2064 2I came] G2564 to call G1342 the righteous, G235 but G268 sinners G1519 unto G3341 repentance.
Jesus did not come to call the righteous. He came to call the sinners to repent. And here we all are, just like David, in need of repentance and in need of mercy.
Nathan the Prophet came to David after David had done several things wrong. First we want to remember that the satan is looking for a way to derail the children of the Most High God. There were probably a few whispers and a few suggestions made to David to lure him to Bathsheba. David may have been unaware of the way in which the satan works and may not have even felt like he was doing something wrong. We can see that there is nearly one year between David’s sin and David’s judgment. Let’s explore.
Psalms 51:0 G1519 To G3588 the G5056 director; G5568 a psalm G3588 to G* David G1722 in G3588 G1525 [4entering G4314 5to G1473 6him G* 1Nathan G3588 2the G4396 3prophet], G2259 when G1525 he entered G4314 to G* Bathsheba G3588 the G1135 wife G* of Uriah.
“Into the fulfillment. Song the David in enter towards him Nathan the one who speaks for God and interprets His will, when he came in towards Bathsheba the wife Uriah.”
The first thing we should notice is time. There is a long period of time occurring between events. David sleeps with Bathsheba, and then she notices that she is pregnant. As we have studied, she would have noticed on the first new moon cycle or possibly the second new moon cycle, as female ovulation for both humans and animals is on a full moon and menstruation was on a new moon. This indicates that Bathsheba knew of her pregnancy from two to six weeks after sleeping with David. David then goes through the process of having Uriah killed. David then takes Bathsheba into his house and she births the baby; which would have then been roughly 34 to 38 weeks later. Nathan then comes to David with the words from Yahweh. Nathan tells David a story and David doesn’t like the injustice in the story and wants to know who the unrighteous man was.
2 Kings (2 Samuel)12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man that has done this. Thus says the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee to be king over Israel, and I rescued thee out the hand of Saul; 8 and I gave thee the house of thy lord, and the wives of thy lord into thy bosom, and I gave to thee the house of Israel and Juda; and if that had been little, I would have given thee yet more. 9 Why hast thou set at nought the word of the Lord, to do that which is evil in his eyes? thou hast slain Urias the Chettite with the sword, and thou hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and thou hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall not depart from thy house for ever, because thou has set me at nought, and thou hast taken the wife of Urias the Chettite, to be thy wife.
David treated Yahweh’s words as worthless. Now the scimitar would not depart from his house for the rest of the eon or age. Israel still deals with the swords of her enemies today. Therefore we see this judgment having lasting implications on all of Israel until the end of this age.
2 Kings (2 Samuel)12:11 Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up against thee evil out of thy house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and will give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For thou didst it secretly, but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and before the sun.
13 And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, And the Lord has put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
Yahweh did rouse full evil from within David’s house and it was done out in the open so that all would see. Judgment is just. What David did in secret was now going to be done to him in public. The devil simply waited until there was a legal hook in David and was prosecuting David to the full extent of Israel’s laws. Yahweh intervened. The word “put away” παρεβίβασε literally means intervened. The devil had a right to attack David over this sin. Yahweh intervened. What was the punishment for adultery and murder from the Law of Moses? Both David and Bathsheba were to be stoned. But Yahweh intervened in the courts of heaven in what was the legal right for the devil to demand for David to die, apothnēskō, or to “die off”. Yahweh overrode the Elohim and the negotiations in David’s sentencing. Yahweh negotiated a different sentence for David.
2 Kings (2 Samuel)12:14 Only because thou hast given great occasion of provocation to the enemies of the Lord by this thing, thy son also that is born to thee shall surely die.
Notice what Yahweh says through Nathan. David provoked and roused to anger the hateful enemies of Yahweh. Remember, Israel had laws, but the nations did not, which is why David demanded that the nations be judged and have a legislator. Now Yahweh breaks or shatters, θραύω, the child. While this sounds harsh, the enemy was demanding that the Law of Moses be invoked over David’s sin. As we studied last week, David needed an heir because his kingdom would last through this age and the next one. David’s older sons would not bring forth the Messiah.
2 Kings (2 Samuel)12:15 And Nathan departed to his house. And the Lord smote the child, which the wife of Urias the Chettite bore to David, and it was ill. 16 And David enquired of God concerning the child, and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the ground.
2 Samuel 12:16 G2532 And G2212 David sought G* G3588 G2316 God G5228 for G3588 the G3808 boy. G2532 And G3522 David fasted G* G3521 with fasting, G2532 and G1525 he entered G2532 and G835 lodged G1909 upon G3588 the G1093 ground.
David fasted with fasting, meaning David fasted during the Day of Atonement. We see that there was an amount of time that took place before the judgment. We can assume thinking backward in time, from the fall feasts to the time of conception was around 10 to 11 months. It took nearly one year for David to be confronted with his sin. It could have been slightly longer as we will note shortly. The accuser was probably accusing David before the throne of God as soon as he knew David’s sin was a sin unto death. But Yahweh intervened. Sometimes judgment is not immediate. One day we will find out how much Yahweh intervened for us.
2 Kings (2 Samuel)12:17 And the elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the ground, but he would not rise, nor did he eat bread with them. http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Kings%20II/index.htm
Josephus give us some additional insight.
Antiquities of the Jews 7:7:3…Upon this Nathan immediately said that he was himself the man who ought to suffer those punishments, and that by his own sentence; and that it was he who had perpetrated this great and horrid crime. He also revealed to him, and laid before him, the anger of God against him, who had made him king over the army of the Hebrews, and lord of all the nations, and those many and great nations round about him; who had formerly delivered him out of the hands of Saul, and had given him such wives as he had justly and legally married; and now this God was despised by him, and affronted by his impiety, when he had married, and now had, another man's wife; and by exposing her husband to the enemy, had really slain him; that God would inflict punishments upon him on account of those instances of wickedness; that his own wives should be forced by one of his sons; and that he should be treacherously supplanted by the same son; and that although he had perpetrated his wickedness secretly, yet should that punishment which he was to undergo be inflicted publicly upon him; "that, moreover," said he, "the child which was born to thee of her shall soon die." When the king was troubled at these messages, and sufficiently confounded, and said with tears and sorrow that he had sinned, (for he was without controversy a pious man, and guilty of no sin at all in his whole life, excepting those in the matter of Uriah,) God had compassion on him, and was reconciled to him, and promised that he would preserve to him both his life and his kingdom; for he said that, seeing he repented of the things he had done, he was no longer displeased with him. So Nathan, when he had delivered this prophecy to the king, returned home.
The Works of Flavius Josephus.
David was pious and had never sinned. As soon as David knew his son had died he got dressed and ate. He recognized that in fasting he might have had the fortune to turn away the judgment, but he could not.
2 Kings (2 Samuel) 12:18 And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died: and the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive we spoke to him, and he hearkened not to our voice; and thou should we tell him that the child is dead?—so would he do himself harm. 19 And David understood that his servants were whispering, and David perceived that the child was dead: and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, He is dead. 20 Then David rose up from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his raiment, and went into the house of God, and worshipped him; and went into his own house, and called for bread to eat, and they set bread before him and he ate. 21 And his servants said to him, What is this thing that thou hast done concerning the child? while it was yet living thou didst fast, and weep, and watch: and when the child was dead thou didst rise up, and didst eat bread, and drink. 22 And David said, While the child yet lived, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who knows if the Lord will pity me, and the child live? 23 But now it is dead, why should I fast thus? shall I be able to bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
24 And David comforted Bersabee his wife, and he went in to her, and lay with her; and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his named Solomon, and the Lord loved him. 25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and called his name Jeddedi, for the Lord’s sake. http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Kings%20II/index.htm
David’s son was a sacrifice for his sin. David’s son was the payment for David’s sin. David’s son, through no fault of his own, died for the sins of his parents. Isn’t there another son that died for the sins of others? Isn’t the placing of sins on a scapegoat the plan for redemption? David’s son is an example of Jesus redeeming us from our sin, the substitution. The Elohim are required to fulfill the law, but Yahweh stepped in.
David and Bathsheba conceived Solomon. Jeddedi means “beloved by Jehovah”. It is possible that Bathsheba adhered to the 40 days of purification after birthing their first born. This then may bring us closer to one year or just beyond before the child died and Solomon was conceived.
Yahweh knows that our actions are not perfect. He also desires mercy and compassion over us. If we have the courage to call on the heavenly courts to bring down judgment on our enemies, we also have to have the strength not to sin. Today we can invoke the blood of Jesus as the payment for our sin. The enemy could not bring up, or retry, David’s sin as the blood of his son was the payment. Jesus’ blood is the payment for our sin. Once tried in the courts of heaven it cannot be retried. In other words, there is no double jeopardy. Think about this. How many times does the devil bring up our past sins? There is no double jeopardy. If our sins are brought before the courts of heaven, and we invoke the blood of Jesus, there is no retrying of our case. The devil may well taunt us with our past sins, but he cannot retry us.
David now asks the Elohim for mercy.
Psalms 51:1 G1653 Show mercy G1473 on me, G3588 O G2316 God, G2596 according to G3588 G3173 [2great G1656 3mercy G1473 1your], G2532 and G2596 according to G3588 the G4128 multitude G3588 G3628 of your compassions! G1473 G1813 Wipe away G3588 G457.2 my violation of the law! G1473
“Have pity on me Elohim downwards mega your compassion and downward the great number your pity wipe away/obliterate my transgressions.”
David is asking the Elohim to bring downward great compassion and pity. We see David asking for a plastering over, or an obliteration of his iniquities. This is what Jesus has done for us. Simply ask.
Psalms 51:2 G1909 G4183 Abundantly G4150 wash G1473 me G575 from G3588 G458 my lawlessness, G1473 G2532 and G575 [3from G3588 G266 4my sin G1473 G2511 1cleanse G1473 2me]!
“On much clean me away from my iniquity, and away from my failure cleanse me.”
David asks to be cleansed. He is willing to go through the process of cleansing. Sometimes our cleansing is painful, not necessarily physically but emotionally. Sometimes the Holy Spirit has to show us what has hurt us in order to cleans us. We then have to reconcile our emotions with Yahweh.
Psalms 51:3 G3754 For G3588 G458 [3my lawlessness G1473 G1473 1I G1097 2know], G2532 and G3588 G266 my sin G1473 G1799 [3before G1473 4me G1510.2.3 1is G1275 2always].
“Because my iniquity I come to know and my failure before the face of you is through all time.”
David is honest about his failure. Yet David plans to keep his heart connected to Yahweh, even though when Yahweh looks at him Yahweh will always see his failure. In some ways our failures are an attestation to Yahweh’s understanding of humanity. Yahweh is not calling perfect people, he is calling the imperfect.
Paul told us that he himself obtained mercy because he did things in ignorance.
1 Timothy 1:12-17 (KJV)
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Imagine, even though our sins are before the Lord’s face always, he still loves us and still wants a relationship with us.
Psalms 51:4 G1473 Against you G3441 alone G264 I sinned, G2532 and G3588 [2the G4190 3wicked thing G1799 4before G1473 5you G4160 1did]; G3704 that G302 G1344 you should be justified G1722 in G3588 G3056 your words, G1473 G2532 and G3528 should overcome G1722 in G3588 G2919 your judging. G1473
“I alone miss the mark and the evil before the face of you, make as if set right in your words and prevail in your judicial decision.”
David takes responsibility, recognizing that the things he did were seen by Yahweh. David asks for right judgment. Again he is saying “judge me” but knowing he has sinned, he submits to the Lord, does not negotiate his case, and simply says “prevail in your judicial decision”. David is willing to allow Yahweh’s judgment to prevail. He doesn’t argue, or try to get out of punishment. He takes responsibility for his actions. Even though the judgment is painful, David is alright with it.
Manasseh also admits to his sin. He says this:
Man 1:6 but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable;
Man 1:7 for thou art the most high Lord, of great compassion, longsuffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved.
Man 1:8 Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner:
Man 1:9 for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities.
Man 1:10 I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head, neither have any release: for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before thee: I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments: I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences.
Man 1:11 Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace.
Man 1:12 I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities:
Man 1:13 wherefore, I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent;
Psalms 51:5 G2400 For behold G1063 G1722 in G458 lawless deeds G4815 I was conceived, G2532 and G1722 in G266 sins G2797.1 [2craved strange food G1473 3for me G3588 G3384 1my mother]. G1473
“See! For in iniquity seized and in failure please with my mother”
David realizes that he and Bathsheba, the mother of the child, conceived the child in iniquity and in failure. This is not speaking of David’s mother but of the mother of the baby that died. He is saying, ‘tell Bathsheba of my failure, my iniquity seized or arrested me’. As we know, David and Bathsheba had a few other children, including Solomon. As it turns out, Bathsheba was instrumental in saving the kingdom when David was old. Bathsheba guided Solomon as well.
Psalms 51:6 G2400 For behold, G1063 G225 [2truth G25 1you loved]. G3588 [3the G82 4concealed things G2532 5and G3588 6the G2931.1 7private things G3588 G4678 8of your wisdom G1473 G1213 1You manifested G1473 2to me].
“See! For truth love the unseen and the hidden your wisdom to make visible me.”
David says that Yahweh loves the unseen. He asks to see Yahweh’s wisdom. What he wants to know is what was the purpose of his punishment, taking the life of the child instead of him? What would come from this judgment? David wants to see the future as if it would be a comfort for him to know that there was a bigger plan in place.
Psalms 51:7 G4472 You shall sprinkle G1473 me G5301 with hyssop, G2532 and G2511 I shall be cleansed; G4150 you shall wash G1473 me G2532 and G5228 [2above G5510 3snow G3021 1I shall be whitened].
“Purify me hyssop and cleanse wash me and over snow make white.”
David asks to be purified with hyssop. Hyssop was used to sprinkle the blood on the doorposts just prior to the exodus. It was used as the priestly functions of purification. What David is asking is for the priests to purify him. He wants to become as white as snow again. The priestly cleansing cannot change the inner thoughts and intents of one’s heart.
Psalms 51:8 G190.9 You shall cause me to hear G1473 G20 exultation G2532 and G2167 gladness; G21 [3shall exult G3747 1 the bones G5013 2being humbled].
“You hear my exultation and joyfulness, jump for joy bones humiliate.”
David’s humble bones jump for joy. He says Yahweh hears his joyful praise. He is humbled from within. As we know, praise can be a sacrifice since it is hard to praise in a time of mourning or sorrow. But it is also hard to praise in a time of correction. David’s infant son is the sacrifice for his sins, which would be a difficult time to jump for joy, yet verbalizing the goodness of Yahweh brings David’s heart low. It is for the realignment of our heart to exult and jump for joy. Our skeletal frame acts in humility, bringing our heart into perspective.
Psalms 51:9 G654 Turn G3588 G4383 your face G1473 G575 from G3588 G266 my sins, G1473 G2532 and G3956 [2all G3588 G458 3my lawlessnesses G1473 G1813 1wipe away]!
“Turn away your face away my failure and all my iniquity obliterate.”
David realizes that his failures will always be before the Lord, as he told us in verse 3, but he is asking, with all the boldness he exhibits in the courts of the Lord, for Yahweh to turn back or turn away his face from David’s failures. He is asking for his iniquities to be blown up.
Psalms 51:10 G2588 [5heart G2513 4a clean G2936 1Create G1722 2in G1473 3me], G3588 O G2316 God, G2532 and G4151 [3spirit G2112.3 2an upright G1457 1renew] G1722 in G3588 G1458.3 my insides! G1473
“Heart clean fabricate in me Elohim, and Spirit straight renew my depths.”
Now David is asking the Elohim to make his heart clean. The Holy Spirit is an Elohim, and he is asking the Holy Spirit to straighten out and renew his insides.
Let’s notice something here. Even though David made mistakes, he did his best to revert back to righteous. If we look at degrees of righteousness, we see that those who did their best will be rewarded in the future. Think of David’s kingdom and he being king in the next age. Think about Enoch and Elijah, neither has died as of yet, but both were translated. They will both bring people to the Lord during the tribulation. Think about the apostles reigning over the twelve tribes. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all made mistakes, but were righteous. The key for us here is to ask the Holy Spirit, as David did, to straighten out and renew our insides.
It is easy for people to behave like pharisees, condemning and counting sins. Jesus rebuked their behavior. They constantly compared themselves to others, judging their own righteousness. However, that is wrong thinking. We are not to assess sin in comparison to one another, we are to assess our own sins before the Lord. Each of us has started our journey in life from different places. Some people grew up in homes where Jesus was taught, some did not. Some people grew up being loved, some did not. We cannot fully assess in our own limited understanding who is righteous and who is not. Therefore it is up to each of us, individually, to assess our own insides before Yahweh.
Psalms 51:11 G3361 Do not G641 reel G1473 [2from me G575 G3588 G4383 1your face]; G1473 G2532 and G3588 G4151 [5spirit G3588 3the G39 4holy G3361 1do not G465.3 2take away in return] G575 from G1473 me!
“Not throw off me away from your face and the Spirit Holy not exchange away from me.”
David again asks in boldness not to be thrown off away from Yahweh’s face and to not let the Holy Spirit be exchanged or taken back from him. David understood that the Holy Spirit did not dwell with the sinful. However, he is asking for the Holy Spirit to continue to stay. Solomon understood the importance of the Holy Spirit from his father David. Now before we get silly about black and white laws regarding the Holy Spirit, let’s remember that for roughly 337 years, from the kingdom split to the time when Ezekiel saw the glory leave the temple, the Holy Spirit dwelt alongside many sinful practices, such as male and female prostitution in the temple, the worshipping of the stars, sun, moon, and cherubim, etc. The Holy Spirit is not new to sin.
Psalms 51:12 G591 Give back G1473 to me G3588 the G20 exultation G3588 G4992 of your deliverance, G1473 G2532 and G4151 [4spirit G2231.1 3 with your governing G4741 1support G1473 2me]!
“Restore my exultation my salvation and turn resolutely me hegemonic Spirit.”
David asks for the restoration of his praise and salvation. The Holy Spirit is the hegemonic Spirit, the ruling and governing Spirit that helps us. David asks for the helper, the Holy Spirit, to continue to rule and govern him.
Psalms 51:13 G1321 I shall teach G459 the lawless ones G3588 G3598 your ways, G1473 G2532 and G765 the impious G1909 [2to G1473 3you G1994 1shall turn].
“Teach lawless your path and ungodly on you turn around.”
Teach those that are not subject to Jewish laws your ways, and let the ungodly turn back to you Yahweh. David realized that since all of Israel would hear of his punishment for his iniquity he would become the example for the lawless and the ungodly.
Psalms 51:14 G4506 Rescue G1473 me G1537 from G129 blood guilt, G3588 O G2316 God, G3588 the G2316 God G3588 G4991 of my deliverance! G1473 G21 [2shall exult over G3588 G1100 1My tongue] G1473 G3588 G1343 your righteousness. G1473
“Deliver me from out of blood Elohim, the Elohim my deliverance, jump for joy my language my righteousness.”
David is speaking to the Elohim, he is asking to be delivered from blood, as the Elohim is his deliverance. He is praising and jumping for joy over his righteous judgment. Even though his judgment was harsh, and everyone knew about it, it was just. As long as we know that the judge is just we can appreciate the judgement. David is at the place of appreciating his judgment even though it was sad and made public.
Psalms 51:15 G2962 O lord, G3588 G5491 [2my lips G1473 G455 1you shall open], G2532 and G3588 G4750 my mouth G1473 G312 shall announce G3588 G133 your praise. G1473
“Yahweh my lips open up and my mouth announce your praising.”
David is now in full praise mode. He is continuing to praise and worship Yahweh during the time of atonement. He is showing all of Israel that Yahweh is worthy of worship even during a time of punishment. This is why David’s servants couldn’t figure David out. They thought he was depressed when his son was ill and maybe feared he was suicidal, which is why they hesitated to tell him his son had died. But upon learning the baby died, David realized his time of mourning was over and judgment had passed. He cleaned himself up, visited his dead son, and came back to Yahweh, with praise.
Psalms 51:16 G3754 For G1487 if G2309 you wanted G2378 a sacrifice, G1325 I would have given; G302 G3646 whole burnt-offerings G3756 you do not think well of. G2106
“Because whether wish a sacrifice I soever offer a holocaust offering not to be well pleased.”
David realized that Yahweh didn’t want a holocaust offering, a wholly consumed offering. If he did want a holocaust offering David would have done that. But Yahweh doesn’t really want that. He tells us what Yahweh wants.
Psalms 51:17 G2378 A sacrifice G3588 G2316 to God G4151 is a spirit G4937 being broken; G2588 [4a heart G4937 5being broken G2532 6and G5013 7humbled G3588 G2316 1God G3756 2will not G1847 3treat with contempt].
“Sacrifice the Elohim Spirit crush completely heart, crush completely and humble, Elohim not make utterly nothing.”
The sacrifice we are to offer the Elohim is a completely crushed heart and a completely humble heart. The Elohim will accept that offering. We see that rather than the blood of animals, we are to offer our own heart, completely crushed and humbled. Let’s go back to Hosea and Jesus.
Hosea 6:6 G1360 For G1656 mercy G2309 I want, G2532 and G3756 not G2378 sacrifice; G2532 and G1922 full knowledge G2316 of God G3123 rather than G3646 whole burnt-offerings.
Matthew 12:6 G3004 But I say G1161 G1473 to you G3754 that G3588 [2the G2413 3temple G3173 1a greater than] G1510.2.3 is G5602 here.
7 G1487 And if G1161 G1097 you had known G5100 what G1510.2.3 it is, G1656 Mercy G2309 I want G2532 and G3756 not G2378 sacrifice; G3756 you would not have G302 G2613 judged against G3588 the G338 innocent.
8 G2962 [6master G1063 1For G1510.2.3 5is G3588 7of the G4521 8Sabbath G3588 2the G5207 3son G3588 G444 4of man].
Jesus tells the Pharisees that he is greater than the temple and that they do not understand what Hosea said. The Pharisees were condemning the disciples for picking corn on the sabbath. In their own pharisaical thinking there was a black and white understanding to sin. Certainly picking corn on the sabbath was a sin, but Jesus said they were judging against the innocent. The disciples were innocent, but they were picking corn, yet mercy is greater than sacrifice. In other words, the Pharisees saw sin, Jesus saw mercy. The Pharisees could not make right judgments, and they did not petition the courts of the Lord for answers. The Pharisees were making up their own judgments against others. Therefore they did not understand Hosea’s words.
If we remember the split at the end of the Maccabean era, where Jonathan Apphus was appointed high priest even though he did not have the Aaronic lineage to be high priest, we will understand the misconceptions of the Pharisees. The people who stayed in Jerusalem in temple service became the Pharisees. They did not follow the Holy Spirit and leave the region like many others did. They thought their works were of higher importance than their heart. This led to the corruption of their hearts in favor of laws. Yet Yahweh is more concerned with our heart, but the Pharisees could not reconcile that. Therefore they accused the innocent. The Pharisees did not have a completely crushed and humbled heart. They believed Yahweh wanted holocaust offerings instead. The Pharisees also did not understand the words of David.
Psalms 51:18 G18.2 Do good, G2962 O lord, G1722 by G3588 G2107 your benevolence G1473 G3588 G* to Zion, G2532 and G3618 let [4be built G3588 1the G5038 2walls G* 3of Jerusalem]!
“Dear Yahweh in your good will Zion and construct wall Jerusalem.”
David shifts here; and as we can assume, he had been planning a wall around Jerusalem. We know that David had pondered the building of the temple prior to his sin with Bathsheba, and Nathan confirmed to David that David’s son would build the temple of Yahweh. But David now turns his attention to the City of David and walling in the city. This is the same pattern as the temple of Nehemiah. Nehemiah realized they had to build the wall first, before they could rebuild the temple. David calls for good will on Zion, the place at Gibeon, and is reminding Yahweh about the depth of their connection in Gibeon.
Psalms 51:19 G5119 Then G2106 you will think well of G2378 a sacrifice G1343 of righteousness G399.1 offering, G2532 and G3646 whole burnt-offerings; G5119 then G399 they shall offer G1909 [2upon G3588 G2379 3your altar G1473 G3448 1calves].
“At that time approve offering justification petition and holocaust at that time take up on your altar calf.”
David says that when the wall around the city is built then Yahweh will accept a holocaust offering. David is looking forward. He is seeing what he will do for Yahweh, and suggesting this is a justification offering or petition. ‘Now that the wall is up Yahweh will bless it with a holocaust offering, a righteous calf on the altar’.
David was probably one of those people who had to be active at all times, or else he would get himself in trouble. It seems to be the pattern in his life that when he was more so at rest the satan had an easier time of subverting him. If that is something we notice in our own lives we can do what David did. We can look ahead to a project, lock into it, and press forward.
We have to consider the idea of group think. It took at least a year for David to receive his judgment. We cannot rely on that timeline, but we can see how people would get comfortable with sin. We read in Jesus’ seven letters to the churches that several churches were doing things that were not acceptable. It seems as if their mind set was that it was alright because no one seemed to get punished. Also consider Paul telling us about the man at Corinth sleeping with his stepmother. Paul was angry with everyone because no one confronted this sin. Group sin and delayed punishment are not a safety net. What we see with David is that he seems to have not noticed his own sin. As soon as David’s sins were sins unto death, the devil accused him in the courts of heaven. Judgment was made by the Elohim, but Yahweh intervened. When Yahweh deemed that the time was right, David was confronted, then punishment came. David’s response to his sin was then acceptable. Notice what Jesus Ben Sirach points out.
Sirach 47:1-11 (KJVApocrypha)
1 And after him rose up Nathan to prophesy in the time of David.
2 As is the fat taken away from the peace offering, so was David chosen out of the children of Israel.
3 He played with lions as with kids, and with bears as with lambs.
4 Slew he not a giant, when he was yet but young? and did he not take away reproach from the people, when he lifted up his hand with the stone in the sling, and beat down the boasting of Goliath?
5 For he called upon the most high Lord; and he gave him strength in his right hand to slay that mighty warrior, and set up the horn of his people.
6 So the people honoured him with ten thousands, and praised him in the blessings of the Lord, in that he gave him a crown of glory.
7 For he destroyed the enemies on every side, and brought to nought the Philistines his adversaries, and brake their horn in sunder unto this day.
8 In all his works he praised the Holy One most high with words of glory; with his whole heart he sung songs, and loved him that made him.
9 He set singers also before the altar, that by their voices they might make sweet melody, and daily sing praises in their songs.
10 He beautified their feasts, and set in order the solemn times until the end, that they might praise his holy name, and that the temple might sound from morning.
11 The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn for ever: he gave him a covenant of kings, and a throne of glory in Israel.
Yahweh took away his sins. Yahweh intervened, David repented, and Yahweh took away his sins. Jesus says that he came to call the sinners to repentance. This is our season, this is our time. The blood of Jesus covers our sin and there is no more atonement that can be made. There is no double jeopardy. Go before the courts of heaven, repent, invoke the blood of Jesus. Then, ask to gain a more perfect knowledge of the Elohim. Enter the courts with boldness and invoke judgment on the enemies of Yahweh.
