詩篇第五一篇是大衛王悔罪詩篇中最有深度的一篇。我們在這一詩篇中看到認罪及祈求上帝寬恕的誠摯情感。經過歲月的變遷，它已成為人們悔罪禱告的典範。大衛撰寫這一詩篇的時間應該是他與拔示巴剛犯了通姦罪，及謀殺她丈夫烏利亞之後不久（有關此一事件之進一步資料，可參看撒下第十一及十二兩章的釋義）。他的罪（通姦、欺騙、說謊、陰謀、及謀殺）是既深且重，所以他所能做的事就是祈求上帝的憐憫。他可以想見，他的過犯必定會被上帝記在記錄簿上，所以他才祈求上帝塗抹他的過犯，寬恕他，不再記住他的過犯（51：1、9；比較賽43：25）。

        他深感自己有罪，也感到他生活中常現的罪應該予以清除（51：2~3、7；賽1：18）。他提到除罪的宗教禮式，即利用牛膝草將祭物的血洒在被污染的東西上，於是它（或者一個人）就會成為潔淨的，而且成聖（來9：14、19；民19：18；利14：4~6）。大衛本人並不能清除他的罪；而是上帝在他的心裡動工，所以他祈求上帝在他的心裡創造一顆潔淨的心（結11：19~20；36：25~26），賜給他一個穩定的靈，好使他不會再在試探中跌倒（51：10）。

        上帝再一次饒恕他、潔淨他、拯救他脫離殺人罪（因為他謀殺了烏利亞及攻擊過他的人；撒上11：17），然後他就重新獲得上帝的救恩和友誼。大衛答應如果上帝使他復原，高舉他，他就會用他的力量帶領其他罪人到上帝前悔罪，而且他也會再度頌讚祂（51：12~15）。

        他明白他犯的罪不祇是傷害到人；更是冒犯了上帝，因為上帝是聖潔的、純潔的、公正的、及毫無過失的。大衛剛好相反：他是在罪孽裡生的，在母親懷胎的時候，就有了罪（51：5）。他不是說，他的母親在懷他的時候犯了罪，或他是什麼私生子，他的目的是要說明，由於亞當的墮落，所有人都是天生的罪人。大衛這麼說並不是為自己找藉口。他知道他有罪，也知道他也可能會像掃羅一樣，在上帝的面前被丟棄。當他一想到被聖靈拒絕的後果就害怕，因為他從掃羅的悲慘命運中看到這一拒絕的後果（撒上15：26；16：14）。不過，大衛不像掃羅，他乃真心謙卑的誠實悔罪；這就是大衛合上帝心意最大的原因。上帝並沒有丟棄大衛。耶和華所要的祭就是憂傷的靈和痛悔的心（51：17）。大衛王鼓勵他的臣子將自己獻給耶和華，但是他明白如果敬拜上帝的人沒有良善的心和動機，上帝是不會悅納他們的祭；他們獻的必須是「公義的祭」，否則他們所做的也是徒勞無功，因為上帝能看透人的心（15：19；賽1：11~17；摩5：27~28；羅12：1~2；來13：15）。

        我們從詩篇第五二篇的題目就能了解，撰寫這一詩篇的目的就是要傳揚那位以東暴君多益的惡行，因為他欺騙和背叛了大衛（撒上21：1~9；22；9~10）。多益最大的罪就是，以說謊促使掃羅帶來戰禍，討掃羅的歡心，因而得到財富與高位的賞賜；因此，大衛譴責及咒詛他，因為他「在邪惡上堅立自己」（52：7下）。大衛非常討厭喜歡做壞事的人。多益是一個喜歡暴力及寡廉鮮恥的人。也不僅是挪伯地區祭司們及其家人被屠殺的原因，而且也是執行屠殺的職業殺手（撒上22：11~22）。大衛預言，就在他們侵略別人的家園，殺害他們的生命時，上帝也會殺害這批惡人，並且把他們扔出家園。因此，他被義人嘲諷。由於多益是一個叛徒，他祇相信自己的財富和力量，而非信靠耶和華，所以上帝要將他像被拔的草一樣，從他生活的土地上連根拔掉。大衛的情形與他剛好成一鮮明的對比，因為大衛信靠上帝的憐憫，就像一棵綠色的橄欖樹一樣，穩固地堅立在土地上（它代表長壽、和平、祝福、多子多孫、及愛國精神）。

        詩篇第五三篇很類似第十四篇。詩人以強烈語氣說明人類的完全墮落與腐敗（比較14：下；53：下），也指責否認上帝大能的無神論者的愚蠢與無知。作者為切合新的情況，將第五節完全修改（比較14：5~6）。它提到仇敵在無可懼怕之處就大大害怕，這可能是指約沙法時代亞捫人聯盟的大敗（代下20：20~24），或是敘利亞軍隊曾被滅命的天使屠殺的事件（王下7：6~7）。耶和華救恩的最終極表現，就是彌賽亞耶穌釋放被擄的百姓時，耶和華的子民就有更多的理由歡喜（53：6），但是那些說「沒有上帝」的愚頑人將要有大憂傷，而且也不再能欺騙自己。

        親愛的上帝啊，由於大衛的忠誠，我們要謙卑地悔改我們所有的罪過，並且求您在我們的裡面創造一顆新的心。感謝您用耶穌的寶血洗淨我們裡面的所有不潔。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        Psalm 51 is the most profound of all the psalms of penitence by King David. In it we see his deepest emotional confession and plea for forgiveness. Down and through the years, it has been the model prayer for the penitent. The occasion for David's writing of this psalm would have been shortly after his commiting adultery with Bathsheba and murdering her husband Uriah (for further information see commentary on 2 Samuel 11 & 12). His sin (adultery, deception, lies, conspiracy, and murder) is so great that all he can do is fall on the mercy of God. He envisions his transgression as being recorded in God's register, and so he asks that it be blotted out, that God may forgive him and remember it no more (51:1, 9; cf. Isaiah 43:25).

        He is deeply convicted of sin and feels the need to be cleansed from the ever-present filthiness of sin in his life (51:2-3, 7; Isaiah 1:18). He alludes to the religious ritual of cleansing through the use of a hyssop branch to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice upon that which was defiled, that it (or a person) may be purged and sanctified to the Lord's service (Hebrews 9:14,19; Numbers 19:18; Leviticus 14:4-6). David can do nothing to make himself pure; it is the work of God upon his heart, so he pleads with God to create in him a clean heart (Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:25-26) and to give him a steadfast spirit, that he might not fall into temptation again (51:10).

        Once God forgave, cleansed, and delivered David from blood-guiltiness (for the murders of Uriah and those who fell with him, 2 Samuel 11:17), then the joy of God's salvation and fellowship could be restored. David promises that if God would restore and uphold him, he will use his strength to lead other sinners to the Lord, and he will once again sing praises to God (51:12-15).

        He is aware that his sin is more than just a sin against man; it is a sin against God, who is holy, pure, just, and blameless. David, however, is the total opposite: born in iniquity and conceived in sin (51:5). He is not saying that his mother sinned at the time of his conception or that he was conceived out of wedlock, but his intent is to express the general sinful condition of all people as natural-born sinners since the Fall of Adam (total depravity of man/original sin). This is not a basis for an excuse, for David makes no excuses. He knew that he was guilty and that he, like Saul, deserved to be cast away from God's presence. He was horrified at the thought of being denied the presence of the Holy Spirit, for he had seen the result of this in the misery of Saul (1 Samuel 15:26; 16:14). Unlike Saul, however, David was truly humble and sincerely repentant; this is what made him a man after God's own heart. No, God would not cast David out. The Lord accepted the sacrifices of his broken spirit and contrite heart (51:17). King David encouraged his subjects to sacrifice unto the Lord, but he understood that if the worshipper's heart and motivation was not right, then God took no pleasure in their sacrifices; they must be "sacrifices of righteousness" or else they are futile, for God sees the heart (51:19; Isaiah 1:11-17; Amos 5:21-22; Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 13:15).

        We learn from the title of Psalm 52 that it was written against the wicked tyrant Doeg the Edomite who deceived and betrayed David (1 Samuel 21:1-9; 22:9-10). The worst crime of Doeg was that he spoke lies to Saul in order to bring destruction, gain Saul's favour, and thus be rewarded with riches and position; therefore, David condemns and curses him because he "strengthened himself in his wickedness" (52:7b). David was utterly disgusted with such a person who took pleasure in doing evil. Doeg was violent and unscrupulous. He was not only the cause but also the hatchet man of the great and terrible massacre of the priests and their families at Nob (1 Samuel 22:11-22). David prophesies that just as he had invaded homes and destroyed lives, so God would destroy him and pluck him out of his dwelling place. He would then be held up to ridicule and mockery by the righteous. Because Doeg was a traitor, who trusted in his riches and his own strength and not in God, God would uproot him from the land of the living. In sharp contrast, David, who trusted in the mercy of God, was like a firmly planted green olive tree (which has a very long life, representing peace, blessings, fruitfulness, and patriotism).

        Psalm 53 is very similar to Psalm 14, except that it has been adapted or revised by the same author for use under a different, yet similar, set of circumstances. The psalmist expresses the total depravity and corruption of mankind in an even stronger way (compare 14:lb; 53:lb), and exposes the ignorance and foolishness of the practical athiest who denies the presence and power of God. Verse five is totally revised (compare with 14:5-6) to suit the new situation. It speaks of the enemy having fear where there was no visible reason to fear. It may refer to the defeat of the Ammonite coalition in the days of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:22-24), or possibly the fear of the Syrian army caused by the supernatural force (2 Kings 7:6-7). When the ultimate salvation of the Lord comes, namely the Messiah Jesus who set the captives free, then the Lord's people will have even more reason to rejoice (53:6), but the fool who says, "There is no God" will be in great sorrow and will be no longer able to deceive himself.

        Dear God, with the sincerity of David, we humbly repent of any sins and ask that You create within us a clean heart. Thank You for the blood of Jesus which cleanses from all unrighteousness.