Craig Gaunt
4/20/09
Historical & Poetic Books
#1204
The Perfect Repentant Hymn
Psalm 51 is known as one of the seven penitential psalms, asking God to forgive sins and pleading for His mercy. Out of all seven psalms, this one is the most repentant, capturing the true essence of coming to God broken and needing forgiveness, and it has even been called the “most Christian” of all the psalms. The historical background of this psalm is debatable. Some scholars see this as one of several freestanding texts. In this regard, it may have been written as part of the Israelite penitent literature and the author represents the whole nation.[1] Indeed, many scholars see vv. 18 & 19 as being added later because it is so different from previous verses. Therefore the original text that ended at v. 17 stressed individual repentance and disregards ritual sacrifices. With the Jewish Temple destroyed after the Babylonian exile and animal sacrifices no longer possible, the author must address the dilemma of how are the exiled people to ask for forgiveness in a foreign land with no possibility of sacrifice? Further support for this view comes from the fact that, although the superscript says this was composed after Nathan confronted David with his sin involving Bathsheba and Uriah’s murder, no such evidence within the psalm exists.
On the other hand, the psalmist begs God not to “take your holy spirit from me”. Michael Goulder comments that ordinary Israelites did not have access to God’s holy spirit or His daily divine presence, but only the king and his priests who served in the Temple daily did.[2] Another point in favor of Davidic authorship is, after God forgives the author, he promises to “teach transgressors [God’s] ways” (v. 13). Only the king was allowed to administer divine justice so he must first repent and confess his own sin before he can lead the nation in worship or teach the people, through word and deed, God’s divine ways and commands.[3] Furthermore, in v. 14, if “bloodguilt” means the author is guilty of shedding blood, then the punishment under Israelite law would have been execution. How then can the author escape that punishment? The answer is because he is the king and has the position that can influence the law in this manner.[4]
“For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me.” 51 v.3
Looking at the particular section (51:3-12, 14, 17), it is filled with poignant and potent words and phrases that are enriched when they are understood in their proper context. Verse three starts out having the psalmist being constantly aware of his flaws and recognizing that he can never escape from his sin. Weiser notes that the author does not attempt to hide his wretchedness but sees this as they really are.[5] He passes judgment on himself and shows courage in doing so because, if the author is indeed David, he has been confronted by Nathan with the very reality of God’s justice.[6] Goulder uses an even stronger phrase to describe this feeling in that the psalmist is obsessing over his own sin.[7]
When the author says that he knows his sin, he is using the phrase ani eda which translates into saying that he knows now and will never forget the sin he has committed.[8] The Hebrew word for “transgressions” in v. 3a is pesha and it means the deliberate breaking of a known law of God and a willful act of disobedience.[9] Likewise, chatta’ah is translated as “sin” in v. 3b, and it means to miss the mark or path and is not accidental.[10] The psalmist is therefore saying that he is both guilty of doing the wrong and not doing the right. He becomes plagued by his own guilt over it, and it is this consciousness of sin that is a precondition to forgiveness.[11]
“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.” 51 v.4
The next verse brings some confusion to a first-time reader of this psalm who is both familiar with the story tied with it and believes it has Davidic authorship. He writes that he is guilty of only sinning against God, and this rings true when compared to 2 Sam. 12:13, but has he not also sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah? The answer is obviously yes, but the author is viewing these in light of his (and their) relationship with God. No matter what, all sin is ultimately against God according to Gen. 39:9 and 2 Sam. 11:27.[12] This is so because all sin is an expression of the basic human will to do what is evil in God’s sight and only when compared to God is sin’s full extent in the human heart realized and able to be eradicated.[13] Sin runs deeper than individual acts and is a condition within people that only God can cure. Miller speaks more of this when he says that it is in God that life has its grounding and is not self-grounded, therefore any sin against another human is, on a deeper level, despising God.[14]
The reverse order is also true and any sin against God is a sin against the entire community of believers and/or other members of the human race.[15] The idea that sin (or anything else for that matter) was individualized made no sense in an ancient mentality because the community was the most important entity. Therefore, no matter the sin, the trespasser is guilty of breaking the two greatest commandments of loving God and one’s neighbor.
Tanner further examines the details when he says the psalmist’s reason for repetition in v. 4 is meant to stress that Adonai is the only god. The author is acknowledging his helplessness before the throne of the only God who is omnipotent. The psalmist also states God’s perfect holiness in v. 4b and says that God has the right to bestow whatever punishment He sees fit.[16] It is this self-awareness of sin and God’s absolute justice in never leaving transgressions unpunished that the psalmist is forced to throw himself into God’s hands and hope and trust for His mercy rather than wrath. By recognizing his sin and God’s sovereignty, the author is able to know God in both judgment and grace.[17]
“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” 51 v.5
This psalm drives the point home in v. 5 when David says that he was sinful since birth. Kraus comments that Genesis 3 and 6:5, 12 speaks of the primal, innate sin echoed in this verse and is seen throughout the Old Testament that no one is guiltless before God (i.e. Pss. 130:3; 143:2, 3; Job 4:17; 9:2).[18] Again, when measured according to God’s standards, the psalmist sees his life as dominated by sin because he is born into a world full of it.[19] Indeed, a child born into a world saturated with sin and temptation finds, by the time they can distinguish between good and evil, a tendency to want to go against God. This is an inescapable fate to any member of the human race because we live in a broken world full of sin that seems to be ruled by chaos. There is no stigma attached to the author’s birth or blaming his mother for his flaws, but he is fully aware of his own shortcomings as inherent in his flesh.[20]
This constitutes the second phase of the confession. The first is David’s confession of acknowledging that he has sinned, and the second is that he is helpless to do anything to cure it. Rather than have the mind of priests who would have their minds oriented around ritual sacrifice to obtain forgiveness, David reflects a prophetic spirit in stating that a change of the heart is the key to repentance and a changed life.[21] As Mays states, the penitent one is confessing innate sinful condition in his humanity not just individual sins.[22]
“Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” 51 v.6
In the next verse, the author continues to stress the inner change that must occur when he says God desires truth in the “inmost place”. The inmost place is translated as literally one’s kidneys.[23] It was seen in Israelite culture as the inner center of moral sensitivity and that part which God tests when He examines a person.[24] In verse six, David is literally asking God to yada him, or make him know what God’s truth is so that it saturates the very core of his being.[25] He sees his human self as so flawed and wicked that only divine revelation can teach him what justice and right living really are.[26] Similar to the ethical injunctions in Romans, David is asking God to transform and renew his mind so that his thoughts and standards would be God’s rather than his own. When one meditates on their own sin and God’s holiness, God uses that as an opportunity to reveal His character to them and teaches them not to sin so He grants the penitent heart wisdom. David is asking God to speak to his moral conscious and guide him in the way he should go. In this way, God will remove the sin from the heart and the whole person will be changed as a result because the root will be cured.
“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.” 51 v.7
In verse seven, the psalmist uses some peculiar phrases to the modern reader. He asks God to cleanse him with hyssop (Heb. ‘ezob) and he will be purified from sin (Heb. hata).[27] Purify in this verse literally means to “un-sin” by doing away with wrong.[28] The hyssop plant in this verse was the caper, and it was used in cleansing rituals. In Israelite culture, those who had been cleansed of leprosy (Lev. 14:4ff) or had come into contact with corpses (Num. 19:18) were sprinkled with hyssop.[29] The hyssop plant was also used to sprinkle blood on the doorposts during the first Passover (Ex. 12:22). Branches of this plant were bound to form an aspergillum and used for dipping and sprinkling in order to cleanse.[30] The aspergillum was usually dipped in blood or water.[31] Some branches of Christianity continue this tradition today in the ritual of christening. However, looking at the rest of this psalm, it is clear that the author is not interested in ritual purity as much as he is in ethical holiness. He wants to be cleansed within as well as externally.
When the psalmist asks God to “wash” him, the Hebrew word is kabas[32] (concordance). It means to submerge in water completely with the intent to purify as if one were washing clothes and treading them in order to remove the stains. When David is praying this, he is asking God to cleanse him completely of wrongdoing as anything that is washed in the Old Testament is submerged completely and purified. The stains that are set in are tough to remove from garments and this may require strain and treading the water in order to cleanse them, but the author is ready and able to undergo that purification process if it means a restored relationship with God. The phrase “whiter than snow” can also be found in Isaiah 1:18 and the Hebrew word laban meaning “become white” implies purity because hardly anything in our world is whiter than the new fallen snow.[33] As Tate points out, snow falls in Palestine, but it is rare.[34] To be made whiter than snow was to be ready for the divine presence, so David is asking to be made as if he is standing in God’s own throne room.[35]
“Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.” 51 v.8
David complains in the subsequent verse that God has crushed his bones, and Goulder supports this conclusion by saying that the Hebrew phrase means that the author has been flogged and pounded.[36] However, this could mean more than just a straightforward physical punishment. It could mean that David’s guilt over his sin is so overwhelming that it is driving him to depression, and God’s conviction upon him is so great that his body is ready to collapse. In the ancient world, it was believed that serious physiological illness was linked to a great sin that the afflicted had committed.[37] This intertwining of the two possibilities is upheld by the Hebrew word ‘esem translated “bones” but meaning either the physical structures themselves or the external body as a whole.[38] However, it makes little difference as to what the exact translation should be. What matters here is that the author is asking God to restore him and forgive his sin. When he experiences God’s forgiveness, he will shout for joy about it.
It is interesting to note here that David’s confession of sin in vv.5-8 does not come before his plea of forgiveness. The reason, as Hossfeld points out, is that David is already trusting in the fact that God, in his righteousness, will forgive him.[39] Rather than this assurance bringing confidence or arrogance, it compels David out of a sincere desire to be right with God.
“Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.” 51 v.9
Along with this forgiveness, David asks God to “hide his face” from his sins and “blot out” his iniquities. Normally, when God “hides His face” in the psalms means that He is angry and has rejected the sinner (13:1; 27:9). Once they perceive that God’s face to be hidden, the psalm’s authors become depressed and feel forsaken (30:7; 143:7). However, David is asking God to hide His face from his sins and not count them against him (v. 9a). The Hebrew word for this is satar, and one of its translations means to conceal oneself carefully.[40] David is once again admitting that in God eyes he is a sinner, and asking Him to disregard his transgressions.
In disregarding his transgressions, David asks God to “blot out” all his sin. The Hebrew word for this is maha, and it literally means swept away or wiped away.[41] While “blot out” may seem obscure to many listeners, “swept away” is the much clearer choice. Blotting out brings to mind an image of God erasing David’s sin from a record book that He has kept of all people’s actions. While this certainly is true, Tanner translates this word as “annihilation”, and it fits better to its original meaning.[42] David is not asking simply that his sin be smudged away but that God completely destroy any traces of it from His memory.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” 51 v.10
Verse 10 starts with the Hebrew verb bara, which is translated “create”, but there is a divine connotation as only God can perform this particular action (Gen. 1:1). This word can either mean to bring into existence what was previously not, or, as in Isa. 41:20 & 45:8 to transform or bring forth from what is present into something different that is better.[43] The psalmist recognizes that transformation must begin from within, and it must be entirely reconstructed and made new before one can be changed. Throughout the prophetic tradition, this idea can be seen as they stressed that outward appearances and rituals, contrary to the mentality of the rest of the pagan world, do not make a person right with God. Only when God changes a person’s self, mind, and being does He give that person an ability and desire to serve Him.
This ability and desire is exactly what the psalmist is requesting. He asks for a new heart and a steadfast spirit because he knows that humans are completely unable to achieve this by their own merit or works.[44] He desires that God would replace the sinful nature with a new nature that is willing to obey Him. The “heart” is in Hebrew the word leb and was regarded as the main source of a person’s life, not the seat of emotions that we think of today.[45] The heart was also seen as the intellectual center where it held the sense of perception, reason, wisdom, and source of the will.[46] “Renew” has a very similar meaning to the verb for “create” and renewing is only possible after being given a clean, newly created heart.[47]
The Hebrew word for “spirit” is ruah and it is believed that a human’s ruah was completely dependent on God’s holy ruah.[48] In other words, God is the only one who can sustain life. In this psalm, David realizes that, because he is guilty of adultery and murder, he should be cut off from God’s people as the Law prescribes, and there is no traditional sacrifice that can atone for such sins.[49] Therefore, the only hope left is a new act of creation that can restore life and give new life because sacrifices cannot provide what is needed; only God’s mercy can do that.[50] A clean heart and a steadfast spirit have the idea of loyalty behind them, and the psalmist is asking God to make him loyal to the Lord.[51] This same idea is echoed in v.12b.
The heart and spirit in this verse are interchangeable and describe the whole self. A clean heart is equal to a mind and a will purged of sin and open to God. A steadfast spirit is a mind and a will fixed and sturdy upon God, similar to Jesus’ parable of a house built on a solid rock contrary to one built on sand. However, it is not clear as to whether the spirit David is asking for is a rejuvenation of his own or an outpouring of God’s into his life as in a prophetic sense.[52] Either way, David is begging for God to give him new life and an obedient mind.
“Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” 51 v.11
In the next verse David begs not to be “cast out” of God’s presence. As it was mentioned earlier, only priests and kings were seen in Israelite culture to enjoy being in God’s presence constantly. To be cast away from this was to be forever denied peace and life itself.[53] 1 Sam. 16:14 records that God had taken His spirit away from Saul, which subsequently resulted in Saul’s madness. David was often the victim of this and had seen it firsthand. He is pleading that he will not suffer the same fate. Rather, he desires that he be forever allowed to enjoy the presence of God through continuous contact for this is the only way new life is possible. For the psalmist, salvation is not a one-time event, as this is noted later.
God’s Holy Spirit in v. 11B is the source for the continuing transforming and renewing the author desires in his life. The Spirit of God in the Old Testament equipped specific persons for specific tasks for which God had chose them. Oxtoby writes, “The holy Spirit of God is not here conceived as an indwelling Person, but as a power suffusing one’s being, transmitted by God, and sustaining one’s purpose to continue along the pathways of truth and justice.”[54] God’s Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force (as was common in ancient religions) but is a personal, life-giving manifestation of the presence of God himself. Without it, no one can experience that presence.[55] To attempt to delve into the different nuances as to whether v. 11b can be through of in terms of the third person of the Trinity from looking at an Old Testament mind would require too much time and space here, suffice to say that they share similar qualities.
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” 51 v. 12
In verse 12, the psalmist wants joy that goes deeper than just knowing he absolved for his sins.[56] Human beings can only find true, complete joy when they know of God’s salvation. Salvation here does not simply mean eternal security but freedom and deliverance, and when the psalms speak of salvation the writers are both asking for it and are confident that they will receive it.[57] Brooks adds that the salvation asked for is not simply a one-time event but a refining process that will remain constant in the author’s life.[58] Salvation not only meant the taking away that which was wrong but also pouring out blessings of abundance in all realms of life including physical, economic, spiritual, etc.[59] To the Hebrew mind, salvation covered all of these areas because all were intertwined rather than some modern-day believers who try to compartmentalize everything.
A “willing spirit” was touched on earlier, but it helps to clarify what it means to be “willing” in the psalmist’s view. The Hebrew word for this is nadib, and it has a sense of being compelled or convicted to action (Ex. 35:5; 2 Chron. 29:31).[60] It splits the difference perfectly between one extreme when a person has complete free will and the other extreme of God making someone serve Him. The psalmist wants God to move in his heart and soul to lovingly convict him to obedience because it is the only thing one can do upon realizing God has saved and forgiven them. To not do this is both hateful and absolutely illogical. Interestingly enough, further support for Davidic authorship of this psalm comes from the fact that nadib can also be translated as “noble” or “princely” in a majority of the Old Testament.[61]
“Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.” 51 v.14
Moving on to v. 14a, David urges God to save him from “bloodguilt” (Heb. dam). This phrase has stirred some debate as to what exactly the author meant by it. If David is indeed the original author, then it could be directly speaking of Uriah’s murder. Otherwise, it could concern the psalmist’s own blood being shed through human hands, or it could be more metaphorical in that it refers to the guilt one has gradually accumulated through sin. Some scholars support the first and last idea as they are intertwined. It fits well with the claim that the useless of sacrifices that they do nothing to remove the guilt of sin, and the only way a murderer can be ransomed is by their own blood being shed.[62] David would be praying for forgiveness of Uriah’s death, and hoping that God would not exact His revenge upon David by taking his life. Weiser suggests that it is only when the author becomes aware of his new forgiven life as a gift of God and his new task of living a moral life does he consider his own mortality.[63] (408-409).
However, others argue that there is another way of examining what this word is referencing. John Goldingay examines the phrase “deliver me from bloodguilt” in light of other similar passages, two of which being found in Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 3:17-19 and 33:7-9, the prophet is commanded to be a watchman and warn the wicked people to repent of their sin or else they will die, but the responsibility for their death will be on the watchman. In other words, the blood will fall on his head. Therefore, the psalmist is stating that if he fails to fulfill his new obligation of testifying to sinners about repentance and God’s grace, he will have “bloodguilt”.[64] True repentance and forgiveness of sin always brings proclamation and rejoicing of God’s saving acts in a believer’s life, and the author wants God to forgive him if he should ever fail at this charge of evangelism. He prays to be forgiven for the death of other sinners by failing to preach to them.
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” 51 v.17
Verse 17 is what true worship of God centers on for the psalmist. The sacrificial emphasis is not on any animal but on oneself because the correct, humble, and repentant self before God is worth countless more than any animal slain on an altar (1 Sam. 15:22). Outside religious piety will not fool God for, as stated earlier, He desires truth in the inmost parts. Although He cannot be bought with anything, He gladly accepts all who come to Him with nothing but their own wretchedness and seeking grace. Those who submit to Him, God will accept, and this is what the psalmist exclaims.
The Hebrew words for “broken” and “contrite” are sabar and daka respectively. They both mean smashed, shattered, destroyed, dejected, or humbled, and the later is the same Hebrew word for “crushed” which the author uses to describe his bones in v. 8.[65] The words for “heart” and “spirit” in this verse are the same as those above so these adjectives point to the whole person’s condition. The people who are described this way are those whose troubles have affected the very center of their lives and those who have been overcome by deep despair. Their breakdown of self confidence has resulted in a deep poverty, but although they regard themselves as worthless, they are still confident that God will accept them.[66] The author’s mind and will have been made humble by God’s judgment upon his sin. Hence, a true sacrifice of God is a person’s self-will and self-importance.[67] In this regard, as Weiser notes, sacrifice becomes more than just superficial or ritualistic; it becomes ethical and life-transforming.[68]
Are these verses advocating a complete rejection of animal sacrifices? Such a sweeping generalization has not much merit. This rejection could be based in the fact that if the author is guilty of murder, as it has been stated, animal sacrifice will not help. The ideal in Torah law was that the external sacrifice correlated with the person’s inner repentance.[69] Spiritual restoration based on God’s mercy and compassion was the foundation for a believer’s relationship with God and was/is more important even back in the days of ancient Israel (Ex. 34:6-7; Hos. 6:6). The worshiper who gives God themselves as their sacrifice do not require animals because God, in His mercy, will accept them (Ps. 34:19; Isa. 67:15). This section is also part of a larger portion of this psalm in which confession and restoration are never private acts but public ones that spring forth out of joy that the penitent one has been redeemed.
Theological and Practical Value
This psalm has infinite value in both Jewish and Christian traditions and this is evident in the fact that it is read every year at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services as well as Ash Wednesday. It reminds the reader that God is the only source for salvation and we as flawed humans have nothing to contribute to this but our own sinfulness. David becomes the prophetic speaker to us.[70] Unlike many other psalms, the charge of wrongdoing is wholly against oneself rather than against others or God, and the sinner focuses inward and accepts personal responsibility. In an age when so much that goes wrong in a person’s life is blamed on several different “others”, this psalm reminds us that our flaws are our own doing. It also keeps a believer humble and penitent because the penitent person understands their life is judged by God and sin always stains that life. They understand that life is plagued with unavoidable sin and the only action one can do once they have sinned is to come to God as they are: broken, wounded, and needing a healer. However, the psalm also looks beyond the self toward the forgiveness and restoration of God. They trust in God to make them new out of his love and goodness.
Finally, it is a stark reminder than God cannot be bought with any outside rituals. Later prophetic tradition would reveal that sacrifices are actually deplorable to God when the right attitudes are not evident. In our modern day, people still try to appease God by any means necessary rather than admit their absolute need for Him and His love. God is everything to them (a buddy, a cohort, or a friend that is only called upon when necessary) but what He deserves to be and what He already is: the King and Lord of their life.
The New Testament book of Romans has been called “the entire gospel in one book”. Psalm 51 is the entire gospel in one chapter. It follows a sequence that many believers experience when the come to God: recognition of God’s holiness and, by comparison, their wretchedness, realizing they are hopeless to do anything about it, asking God to cleanse them of sin and turn their minds toward Him, and proclaim that He has indeed forgiven them.
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[1]Oxtoby, Gordon C. “Conscience and Confession: a Study of the Fifty-First Psalm” Interpretation, 3 no. 4 O (1949): p. 426.
[2]Goulder, M. D. The Prayers of David (Psalms 51-72): Studies in the Psalter, II. Sheffield, Eng. JSOT Press, 1990. p. 60
[3]Ibid.
[4]Ibid.
[5]Weiser, Artur. The Psalms: A Commentary. Herbert Hartwell trans. Philadelphia. Westminster Press, 1962. p. 403
[6]Ibid.
[7]Goulder, pg. 52
[8]Rosenblit, Barbara E. “David, Bat Sheva, and the Fifty-First Psalm” Cross Currents, 45 no. 3 (Fall 1995): p. 331
[9] Oxtoby, p. 418
[10]Ibid.
[11]Waltner, James H. Psalms. Scottdale, PA. Herald Press, 2006. p. 258
[12]Ibid.
[13]Weiser, p. 403
[14]Miller, Patrick. “Preaching Repentance in a Narcissistic Age.” Journal for Preachers 21 no. 2 (Lent 1998): p. 6
[15]Mays, James Luther. Psalms. Louisville. Westminster/John Knox Press, 1994. p. 200
[16]Waltner, p. 258
[17]Weiser, p. 404
[18]Kraus, Hans-Joachim. Theology of the Psalms. Minneapolis, Fortress Press, 1992. p. 157
[19]Weiser, p. 405
[20]Oxtoby, p 419
[21]Ibid. p. 420
[22]Mays, p. 200
[23]NIV Study Bible, Zondervan, 2002. p. 943
[24]Ibid.
[25]Gaiser, Frederick J. “The David of Psalm 51: Reading Psalm 51 in Light of Psalm 50.” Word & World, 23 no. 4 (Fall 2003): p. 385
[26]Oxtoby, p. 420
[27]Kohlenberger, John R. The Hebrew-English Concordance to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids. Zondervan Publishing House, 1998 p. 1882, 2002
[28]Oxtoby, p. 420
[29]Weiser, p. 406
[30]Wilson, Gerald H. Psalms: from Biblical Text to Contemporary Life. Grand Rapids. Zondervan, 2002. p. 775
[31]Goulder, p. 56
[32] Kohlenberger, p. 2053
[33]Ibid., p. 2059
[34]Tate, Marvin. Psalms 51-100. Dallas. Word Books, 1990. p. 21
[35]Ibid.
[36]Goulder, p. 57
[37]Waltner, p. 258
[38]Kohlenberger, p. 1774
[39]Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar. Psalms 2: A commentary on Psalms 51-100. Edited by Klaus Baltzer. Linda M. Maloney trans. Minneapolis. Fortress Press, 2005. p. 20
[40]Kohlenberger, p. 1876
[41]Ibid. p.1773
[42]Tanner, Beth L. “Preaching the Penitential Psalms” Word & World, 27 no. 1 (Winter 2007): p. 90
[43]Mays, p. 202
[44]Weiser, p. 407
[45]Waltner, p. 259
[46]Tate, p. 22
[47]Tate, p. 23
[48]Tanner, p. 91
[49]Gaiser, p. 391
[50]Ibid. p. 392
[51]Tate, p. 22
[52]Ibid.
[53]Ibid. p. 23
[54]Oxtoby, p. 422
[55]Tate, p. 23
[56]Weiser, p. 408
[57]Tate, p. 23
[58]Brooks, Claire Vonk. “Psalm 51.” Interpretation, 49 no. 1 (Jan. 1995): p. 65
[59]Goulder, p. 60
[60]Kohlenberger, p. 1066
[61]Ibid.
[62]Tate, p. 26
[63]Weiser, pp. 408-409
[64]Goldingay, John. “Psalm 51:16a (English 51:14a)” Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 40 no. 3 (July 1978): p. 389
[65]Kohlenberger, p. 1539, 410
[66]Kraus, p. 154
[67]Weiser, p. 409
[68]Ibid.
[69]Tate, p. 28
[70]Gaiser, 387