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51 ‎[1] **For the chief musician, a psalm by David, **
‎[2] **when Natan the prophet came to him **to rebuke him **after he had been with Bathsheba. **Natan informed David that the consequences of his sin would be felt not only in his lifetime but also in the lives of his descendants. As recounted in the book of Samuel, David acknowledged and deeply regretted his actions, and God accepted David’s repentance, though he was not yet granted full atonement. This psalm offers David’s perspective.
‎[3] **Be gracious to me, God, as befits Your kindness; in the greatness of Your mercy, blot out my transgressions. **I offer no excuses; I plead only for compassion and mercy.
‎[4] **Thoroughly wash [*****kabbeseni*****] my iniquity from me. **The word *kabbeseni* refers to an intense and thorough scrubbing to remove deeply ingrained dirt.** Purify me from my sin. **
‎[5] **For I know my transgressions. **David is saying that he “knows” his transgressions, referring to sins committed deliberately, in the sense that he recognizes their severity.** My sin is always before me, **always on my mind; I am unable to forget what I have done.
‎[6] **Against You alone I have sinned. **David does not mean to say that his sin did not affect other individuals, as clearly it harmed others: Bathsheba, Uriya, and other people who were involved. What David means is the following: My sin is so severe, so grave, that I cannot deal with it in any way other than by placing it before God to judge. In other words, his transgression was not only a crime and a violation of societal norms, but also a manifestation of a deeply ingrained flaw in his relationship with God. **I have done evil in Your eyes; so **I understand and accept that **You are just in your words and right in Your verdict, **whatever punishment it may involve.** **
‎[7] At the same time, David offers an explanation that might mitigate his culpability. He notes that sin is not a onetime, exceptional occurrence in man’s life but rather an intrinsic part of his existence:* ***I was formed in iniquity; in sin my mother conceived me. **The very process of conception involves actions that are not necessarily driven by the purest impulses. Thus, from the beginning of man’s existence, he is imbued with drives and passions, and this becomes part of human nature.
‎[8] **You desire truth in the innermost parts. **The word *tuĥot*, translated here as “the innermost parts,” literally means “the kidneys,” regarded as the seat of counsel and decision. You desire that truth penetrate the innermost recesses of man’s mind, and it is with this degree of sincerity that I confess my sin. **Show me wisdom, **the ability to understand the depth of my sin,** in the hidden place within **my soul, where my private thoughts reside.** **
‎[9] David now beseeches God to purify him of his sin, alluding to methods described in the Torah to remove ritual impurity: **Purify me **as if **with hyssop,**** and I will be clean. **Hyssop was used in the procedure of purification from the ritual impurity of leprosy, as well as in the procedure of purification from the impurity contracted through contact with a corpse.** Cleanse me [*****tekhabbeseni*****], so I will be whiter than snow. **As mentioned previously, *tekhabbeseni* refers to an intense cleansing. David is willing to accept the concomitant pain involved in this process.
‎[10] And when you purify me from my sin, this will **make me hear,** or experience,** joy and gladness** in the knowledge that my sin has been expiated.** Let the bones, **representing the essential, innermost part of me, **that You crushed rejoice. **The bones had been damaged by sins and guilt.
‎[11] **Hide Your face from my sins **and** **do not keep them constantly in mind,** and blot out all my iniquities **in light of my repentance.** **
‎[12] **Create in me a pure heart, God. **Replace my heart that has been damaged by my sins with a new heart. Grant me new understanding and feeling, **and renew a steadfast spirit within me. **
‎[13] **Do not cast me away from Your presence **because of my sin,** and do not take **away **Your holy spirit from me.** Leave the holiness that is within me intact. David was not only a man of greatness; in many ways he was also a holy man.
‎[14] **Restore the joy of Your salvation to me **by forgiving my sins.** Sustain me with a generous spirit **of divine grace.** **
‎[15] Your acceptance of my repentance will be significant not only for me, but also for others who can learn from my experience, for **I will teach **about **Your ways **of forgiveness **to transgressors. Sinners will return to You **once they realize the potential of repentance.
‎[16] **Save me from **the guilt of **bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation. **This is** **referring to David causing the death of Uriya, Bathsheba’s husband. Save me from death for this sin, and then **my tongue will sing of Your righteousness** before others, who will learn from me the power of repentance.
‎[17] **Lord, open my lips, **assist me in formulating these words, **so my mouth may declare Your praise. **
‎[18] It is only the concepts discussed above that grant man atonement for his sins: the admission of wrongdoing, acceptance of punishment, and asking for forgiveness. Atonement cannot be achieved through sacrificial offerings alone, **for You do not desire me to offer a sacrifice; You are not pleased by a burnt offering. **
‎[19] True **sacrifices to God are** not animal offerings, but **a broken, **contrite** spirit; You, God, will not reject a broken and crushed heart*****.***
‎[20] Since David is the king of Israel as well as a private individual, he beseeches God to prevent his personal sins from harming the people of Israel as a whole:* ***Show Your favor to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. **
‎[21] **Then, **after atonement and forgiveness have been granted,** You will delight in righteous sacrifices, **sacrifices offered not for expiation but voluntary offerings that are expressive of our love,** in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then, **after true, heartfelt repentance,** young bulls will be offered on Your altar. **
Version: The Steinsaltz Tanakh - English
Source: https://korenpub.com/collections/the-steinsaltz-tanakh/products/steinsaltz-tanakh
License: Copyright: Steinsaltz Center