Psalm 51

The note “of David,” isn’t necessarily a byline. The vague phrase could mean the song was written by David, about David, or was inspired by David. Almost half of the psalms are attributed to David in this way, 73 of 150. Ancient Jewish history tells of David playing a lyre and writing songs. For one, he wrote a song of mourning at the battlefield death of King Saul and his sons: “How have the mighty fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:19-27 New American Standard Bible). An ancient Jewish scroll from about the time of Jesus, discovered among the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, reports that David wrote 3,600 songs.

The story of Nathan confronting David is reported in 2 Samuel 12.

If this song is about David’s adultery with Bathsheba, God wasn’t the only one David offended. David’s sin probably angered his wives, humiliated his children, and it killed Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14-18). But some Bible experts say that many Jews considered all sins essentially sins against God. If you hurt a person, you’ve sinned against God. And that is the sin that counts most of all.

More literally, “Look, I was born sinful.” The writer feels so badly about what he did that he possibly uses some exaggeration to express his attraction to sin. It’s rare for a Bible writer to suggest people are born sinful. Perhaps Genesis 8:21 comes closest: “These people have a perpetual attraction to bad thoughts and behavior, even when they’re kids.”

Probably more exaggeration, some scholars say. They explain that the writer is probably not accusing his parents of doing something sinful in conceiving him. Instead, he’s expressing what overwhelming guilt feels like. It pollutes with poison every part of who we are. Other scholars say the writer is saying his parents did, in fact, do something wrong. Or perhaps the writer presumed the passion of lovemaking was wrong. Many people of faith have taught that over the centuries, saying sex was for making babies, not for throwing a party.

More literally “Purify me with hyssop.” Hyssop is a bush with small, white flowers. Jews would take branches from the bush, dip it in water, and sprinkle the water on anyone or anything ritually contaminated, to cleanse them. For example, they would sprinkle water on someone who touched a dead body (Numbers 19:18). Jews had to be cleansed of ritual defilement before they could worship at the tent worship center or, later, at the Jerusalem Temple.

Literally “burnt offering.” Burnt offerings atoned for sin, and were entirely consumed in the fire. With some other offerings, some meat was burned but some was shared between priest and worshiper.