1: לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ 2: בְּֽבוֹא־ אֵ֭לָיו נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֑יא כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֝֗א אֶל־ בַּת־ שָֽׁבַע׃ 3: חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱלֹהִ֣ים כְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ כְּרֹ֥ב רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ מְחֵ֣ה פְשָׁעָֽי׃ 4: כַּבְּסֵ֣נִי מֵעֲוֺנִ֑י וּֽמֵחַטָּאתִ֥י טַהֲרֵֽנִי׃ 5: כִּֽי־ פְ֭שָׁעַי אֲנִ֣י אֵדָ֑ע וְחַטָּאתִ֖י נֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃ 6: לְךָ֤ לְבַדְּךָ֨ ׀ חָטָאתִי֮ וְהָרַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ עָ֫שִׂ֥יתִי לְ֭מַעַן תִּצְדַּ֥ק בְּדָבְרֶ֗ךָ תִּזְכֶּ֥ה בְשָׁפְטֶֽךָ׃ 7: הֵן־ בְּעָו֥וֹן חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי וּ֝בְחֵ֗טְא יֶֽחֱמַ֥תְנִי אִמִּֽי׃ 8: הֵן־ אֱ֭מֶת חָפַ֣צְתָּ בַטֻּח֑וֹת וּ֝בְסָתֻ֗ם חָכְמָ֥ה תוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ 9: תְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִי בְאֵז֣וֹב וְאֶטְהָ֑ר תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִי וּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶג אַלְבִּֽין׃ 10: תַּ֭שְׁמִיעֵנִי שָׂשׂ֣וֹן וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה תָּ֝גֵ֗לְנָה עֲצָמ֥וֹת דִּכִּֽיתָ׃ 11: הַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נֶיךָ מֵחֲטָאָ֑י וְֽכָל־ עֲוֺ֖נֹתַ֣י מְחֵֽה׃ 12: לֵ֣ב טָ֭הוֹר בְּרָא־ לִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְר֥וּחַ נָ֝כ֗וֹן חַדֵּ֥שׁ בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃ 13: אַל־ תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי מִלְּפָנֶ֑יךָ וְר֥וּחַ קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ אַל־ תִּקַּ֥ח מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ 14: הָשִׁ֣יבָה לִּ֭י שְׂשׂ֣וֹן יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וְר֖וּחַ נְדִיבָ֣ה תִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃ 15: אֲלַמְּדָ֣ה פֹשְׁעִ֣ים דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים אֵלֶ֥יךָ יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃ 16: הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִדָּמִ֨ים ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י תְּשׁוּעָתִ֑י תְּרַנֵּ֥ן לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃ 17: אֲ֭דֹנָי שְׂפָתַ֣י תִּפְתָּ֑ח וּ֝פִ֗י יַגִּ֥יד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃ 18: כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־ תַחְפֹּ֣ץ זֶ֣בַח וְאֶתֵּ֑נָה ע֝וֹלָ֗ה לֹ֣א תִרְצֶֽה׃ 19: זִֽבְחֵ֣י אֱלֹהִים֮ ר֪וּחַ נִשְׁבָּ֫רָ֥ה לֵב־ נִשְׁבָּ֥ר וְנִדְכֶּ֑ה אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לֹ֣א תִבְזֶֽה׃ 20: הֵיטִ֣יבָה בִ֭רְצוֹנְךָ אֶת־ צִיּ֑וֹן תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה חוֹמ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ 21: אָ֤ז תַּחְפֹּ֣ץ זִבְחֵי־ צֶ֭דֶק עוֹלָ֣ה וְכָלִ֑יל אָ֤ז יַעֲל֖וּ עַל־ מִזְבַּחֲךָ֣ פָרִֽים׃
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
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Scene:
- David is in a state of deep remorse after committing adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. He feels overwhelmed by guilt and recognizes the need for forgiveness.
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Imagery:
- Guilt: David acknowledges his sin and the weight of guilt that burdens him.
- Brokenness: David acknowledges his brokenness and the need for restoration.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
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Scene:
- David humbly pleads for God's mercy, acknowledging his own unworthiness. He recognizes God's love and compassion as the source of forgiveness and cleansing.
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Imagery:
- Mercy: David pleads for God's mercy, understanding that he does not deserve forgiveness.
- Blotting out: David asks God to blot out his transgressions, signifying complete removal and forgiveness.
- Washing and cleansing: David requests to be washed and cleansed from his sin, portraying the purification of his heart and soul.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.
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Scene:
- David openly confesses his awareness of his transgressions and acknowledges that his sins are always in front of him. He recognizes that ultimately, his sin is against God and that God's judgment is just.
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Imagery:
- Sin always before me: David acknowledges that the weight and consequences of his sin are ever-present in his life.
- Evil in your sight: David admits to doing what is evil in God's sight, signifying his understanding of the moral standards set by God.
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
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Scene:
- David expresses his recognition of his innate sinful nature and his desire for spiritual renewal. He acknowledges God's guidance and instruction in his life, even from the earliest stages.
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Imagery:
- Sinful from birth: David acknowledges the sinful condition of humanity from birth, emphasizing the universal need for redemption.
- God's desire for faithfulness: David recognizes God's desire for faithfulness and wisdom in his life, even before birth.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
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Scene:
- David pleads for God's cleansing and restoration, longing for joy and gladness in his heart. He asks for forgiveness and for God to hide His face from his sins.
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Imagery:
- Cleansing: David requests to be cleansed, using the imagery of hyssop, symbolizing purification and forgiveness.
- Whiter than snow: David desires to be completely cleansed, surpassing the purity of snow.
- Joy and gladness: David longs for the renewal of joy and gladness in his heart, seeking inner transformation.
- Hidden face: David asks for his sins to be hidden from God's sight, emphasizing the desire for forgiveness and reconciliation.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
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Scene:
- David expresses his desire for a pure heart and a steadfast spirit. He pleads to remain in God's presence, not wanting to lose the Holy Spirit. David seeks the restoration of joy and a willing spirit.
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Imagery:
- Pure heart: David asks for a pure heart, symbolizing inner purity, righteousness, and devotion to God.
- Renew a steadfast spirit: David desires a renewed and resolute spirit, characterized by faithfulness and loyalty to God.
- God's presence and Holy Spirit: David pleads to remain in God's presence and to continue to be guided by the Holy Spirit, representing a deep connection with God.
- Joy of salvation: David longs for the restoration of the joy that comes from knowing God's salvation.
- Willing spirit: David seeks to have a willing and obedient spirit, reflecting a surrendered and responsive heart.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.
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Scene:
- David promises to teach others God's ways once he is restored and forgiven. He asks to be delivered from guilt and pledges to sing of God's righteousness and declare His praise.
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Imagery:
- Teaching transgressors: David commits to teaching others the ways of God, implying a desire to bring others to repentance and restoration.
- Deliverance from guilt: David pleads for deliverance from the guilt of bloodshed, symbolizing the release from the burden of sin and its consequences.
- Singing of righteousness: David declares his intention to sing of God's righteousness, expressing gratitude and praise for God's character.
- Declaring God's praise: David desires to openly and enthusiastically give thanks to God, acknowledging His greatness and goodness.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
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Scene:
- David acknowledges that true sacrifices that please God are not external rituals but a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
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Imagery:
- Delight in sacrifice: David recognizes that God is not primarily interested in external religious acts but in the condition of the heart.
- Broken spirit and contrite heart: David affirms that a broken and contrite heart is a genuine sacrifice that pleases God, highlighting the importance of humility, repentance, and inward transformation.
The scenes in this Psalm depict King David's sincere repentance, remorse, and plea for forgiveness after committing a grievous sin. The imagery focuses on themes of guilt, brokenness, cleansing, restoration, and the transformation of the heart. It emphasizes the eudaimonic significance of recognizing one's sinfulness, seeking God's mercy, and desiring spiritual renewal through sincere repentance and a genuine contrite heart. The Psalm teaches the believer the importance of humility, the need for forgiveness, and the joy that comes from experiencing God's gracious restoration.