Have Mercy
Psalm 51:1–3
Forgiveness for such intentional sin is found in no one and nothing else but depends wholly upon the mercy of his covenant Lord.
#prayer
#MercifulAndGracious
#SteadfastLove
Published November 23rd, 2021
An Observation
Phrase of Psalm 51:1–3 [MT: 51:1–5]
Phrase of Exodus 34:6–7
Some Research
Devotional Thoughts
For Further Thought
notes
An Observation
Recently, while reading the Psalms I noticed for the first time that David uses Exodus 34:6–7 (cf. Exod 20:5–6) to begin his famous prayer of repentance. This passage was important to David (e.g., Pss 61:7; 103:8–12). I have included the texts below with overlapping terms in blue. My question was, What is the significance of beginning his prayer *this* way? After the texts, I will include some research and devotional thoughts.
Phrase of Psalm 51:1–3 [MT: 51:1–5]
OT
Psalms 51:1-3
wlc
esv
בְּבוֹא־ אֵלָיו נָתָן הַנָּבִיא כַּאֲשֶׁר־ בָּא אֶל־ בַּת־ שָׁבַע׃
[Title] To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
חָנֵּנִי אֱלֹהִים
[Be gracious to] me, O God,
כְּחַסְדֶּךָ
according to your steadfast love;
כְּרֹב רַחֲמֶיךָ
according to your abundant mercy
מְחֵה פְשָׁעָי׃
blot out my transgressions.
הרבה [הֶרֶב] כַּבְּסֵנִי מֵעֲוֺנִי
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
וּמֵחַטָּאתִי טַהֲרֵנִי׃
and cleanse me from my sin!
כִּי־ פְשָׁעַי אֲנִי אֵדָע
For I know my transgressions,
וְחַטָּאתִי נֶגְדִּי תָמִיד׃
and my sin is ever before me.
בְּבוֹא־אֵלָיו נָתָן הַנָּבִיא כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּא אֶל־בַּת־שָׁבַע׃
3ms
H834d
חָנֵּנִי אֱלֹהִים כְּחַסְדֶּךָ כְּרֹב רַחֲמֶיךָ מְחֵה פְשָׁעָי׃
H2603a
1cs
H2617a
2ms
H7356b
2ms
H4229a
1cs
הרבה [הֶרֶב] כַּבְּסֵנִי מֵעֲוֺנִי וּמֵחַטָּאתִי טַהֲרֵנִי׃
H7235a
H7235a
1cs
1cs
H2403b
cm
1cs
1cs
כִּי־פְשָׁעַי אֲנִי אֵדָע וְחַטָּאתִי נֶגְדִּי תָמִיד׃
H3588a
1cs
H2403b
1cs
1cs
לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ ׀ חָטָאתִי וְהָרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ עָשִׂיתִי לְמַעַן תִּצְדַּק בְּדָבְרֶךָ תִּזְכֶּה בְשָׁפְטֶךָ׃
2ms
2ms
H7451a
cd
H5869a
2ms
H6213a
2ms
2ms
הֵן־בְּעָווֹן חוֹלָלְתִּי וּבְחֵטְא יֶחֱמַתְנִי אִמִּי׃
H2342a
cb
1cs
1cs
הֵן־אֱמֶת חָפַצְתָּ בַטֻּחוֹת וּבְסָתֻם חָכְמָה תוֹדִיעֵנִי׃
H2654a
H5640a
1cs
תְּחַטְּאֵנִי בְאֵזוֹב וְאֶטְהָר תְּכַבְּסֵנִי וּמִשֶּׁלֶג אַלְבִּין׃
1cs
1cs
H3835a
תַּשְׁמִיעֵנִי שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה תָּגֵלְנָה עֲצָמוֹת דִּכִּיתָ׃
1cs
הַסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מֵחֲטָאָי וְכָל־עֲוֺנֹתַי מְחֵה׃
2ms
1cs
1cs
H4229a
לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא־לִי אֱלֹהִים וְרוּחַ נָכוֹן חַדֵּשׁ בְּקִרְבִּי׃
H3820a
H1254a
1cs
H3559a
1cs
אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וְרוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ אַל־תִּקַּח מִמֶּנִּי׃
1cs
ml
2ms
2ms
H4480a
1cs
הָשִׁיבָה לִּי שְׂשׂוֹן יִשְׁעֶךָ וְרוּחַ נְדִיבָה תִסְמְכֵנִי׃
dir
1cs
2ms
1cs
אֲלַמְּדָה פֹשְׁעִים דְּרָכֶיךָ וְחַטָּאִים אֵלֶיךָ יָשׁוּבוּ׃
2ms
2ms
הַצִּילֵנִי מִדָּמִים ׀ אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵי תְּשׁוּעָתִי תְּרַנֵּן לְשׁוֹנִי צִדְקָתֶךָ׃
1cs
1cs
H7442b
1cs
2ms
אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶךָ׃
1cs
1cs
H6605a
1cs
2ms
כִּי ׀ לֹא־תַחְפֹּץ זֶבַח וְאֶתֵּנָה עוֹלָה לֹא תִרְצֶה׃
H3588a
H2654a
H5930a
זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה לֵב־נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכֶּה אֱלֹהִים לֹא תִבְזֶה׃
H3820a
הֵיטִיבָה בִרְצוֹנְךָ אֶת־צִיּוֹן תִּבְנֶה חוֹמוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃
2ms
אָז תַּחְפֹּץ זִבְחֵי־צֶדֶק עוֹלָה וְכָלִיל אָז יַעֲלוּ עַל־מִזְבַּחֲךָ פָרִים׃
H227a
H2654a
H5930a
H227a
H5921a
2ms
לְךָ֤ לְבַדְּךָ֨ ׀ חָטָאתִי֮ וְהָרַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ עָ֫שִׂ֥יתִי לְ֭מַעַן תִּצְדַּ֥ק בְּדָבְרֶ֗ךָ תִּזְכֶּ֥ה בְשָׁפְטֶֽךָ׃
2ms
2ms
H7451a
H5869a
2ms
H6213a
2ms
2ms
phrasing
Phrase of Exodus 34:6–7
Exodus 34:6-7
וַיַּעֲבֹר יְהוָה ׀ עַל־ פָּנָיו
The Lord passed before him
וַיִּקְרָא יְהוָה ׀ יְהוָה
and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord,
אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן
a God merciful and gracious,
אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם
slow to anger,
וְרַב־ חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת ׀
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים
keeping steadfast love for thousands,
נֹשֵׂא [1] עָוֺן
forgiving [1] iniquity
[2] וָפֶשַׁע
[2] and transgression
[3] וְחַטָּאָה
[3] and sin,
וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה
but who will by no means clear the guilty,
פֹּקֵד ׀ עֲוֺן אָבוֹת עַל־ בָּנִים
visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children
וְעַל־ בְּנֵי בָנִים
and the children’s children,
עַל־ שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל־ רִבֵּעִים׃
to the third and the fourth generation.”
וַיַּעֲבֹר יְהוָה ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא יְהוָה ׀ יְהוָה אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב־חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת ׀
H5674a
H5921a
3ms
H7227a
H2617a
נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים נֹשֵׂא עָוֺן וָפֶשַׁע וְחַטָּאָה וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה פֹּקֵד ׀ עֲוֺן אָבוֹת עַל־בָּנִים וְעַל־בְּנֵי בָנִים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִים׃
H2617a
H2403a
H6485a
H5921a
H1121a
H5921a
H1121a
H1121a
H5921a
H5921a
Some Research
VanGemeren (Psalms, EBC vol. 5, Rev. Ed., 2008, 434) mentions Exod 34:6–7 in passing when commenting on Ps 51:1–2 (Tate, WBC 20, 14; cf. deClaissé-Walford et al., NICOT [2014], 455n6). Even though his mention of Exodus 34 is also brief, Longman's comment is helpful: “The psalmist grounds the appeal not in anything that he has done, but rather in the character of God, who exhibits unfailing love (ḥesed, a word that could also be translated ‘loyalty’) and great compassion” (Longman, TOTC [2014], 219). Currid cites Raitt on Exod 34:6–7, “As Raitt explains, we are ‘looking at the most important statement on forgiveness in the Old Testament’” (Currid, Exodus, EPSC, 2:310; Raitt, ‘Why Does God Forgive?’, HBT 13 (1991): 45). Levitical scholar, Jay Sklar, would probably agree with that statement since he points out how Exod 34:7 ”underscor[es] the comprehensive nature of the Lord's forgiveness . . . this is the text that Moses appealed to when asking forgiveness for the Israelites’ high-handed rebellion (Num 14:18)” (“Sin and Atonement: Lessons from the Pentateuch,” BBR 22 [2012]: 467–91, here 476n23). Later in his article, Sklar writes, “ Atonement for sin is possible because of the Lord’s proclivity to extend mercy; he does not treat his people as their sins deserve. It is not simply that atonement is rooted in grace (lesson one); it is that his very nature is to extend that grace because of his mercy” (Ibid., 488).
Devotional Thoughts
Ultimately, David's use of Exod 34:6–7 to call upon the Lord embodies his statement from 2 Sam 24:14. He falls into the hands of Yahweh, because although it is against him he has sinned (Ps 51:4), his mercy is abundant (2 Sam 24:14, כִּי רַבִּים רַחֲמָו). Forgiveness for such intentional sin is found in no one and nothing else but depends wholly upon the mercy of his covenant Lord. Beginning his prayer this way (in addition to it modeling repentance for God's people), places the focus of forgiveness and atonement on the Lord who has mercy upon whom he will (Exod 33:19; Rom 9:14–18).
For Further Thought
Interestingly, Daniel does something similar in his prayer of corporate repentance [Dan 9:4–5, 9–10 cf. Deut 7:9], and like David (Ps 51:4), Daniel notes that the Lord is righteous and just to judge sin (Dan 9:14).
Comments
Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.