Salmos 51
Ray Stedman · Citado em PreceptAustin
Salmos 51
Stedman adds that "God is not a penny pincher; He does not dole out bits of mercy, drop by drop. No, He pours it out. His are abundant mercies. When God forgives, He forgives beyond our utmost imaginings. Two figures of speech that are used in the Old Testament depict the forgiveness of God. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12+). How far is that? Well, how far do you have to go east before you start going west? You never come to west. Then God says He will “hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19+). Someone has added that he puts up a sign that reads “NO FISHING.” Do not go down there and try to fish old sins out once God has dealt with them. What relief comes when we begin to understand this fullness of God's forgiveness. (A Cry For Mercy) J R Miller…Notice also David's thought of the mercy he needed. First, there is a simple cry for mercy. "Have mercy upon me, O God." This was his greatest need. He did not begin his prayer by asking for favors, for prosperous circumstances, for many friends. Before any blessings could count in his life—he must get clear of his sin, and must have God's mercy. The words represent his transgressions as all written down against him in the book of accounts—and he pleads to have them blotted out, erased, rubbed from the page. There is something very startling in this thought that our sins are charged against us, and that unless we get the record expunged, we shall have to meet the penalty. But the blessed truth here, is that sins may be blotted out—no matter how many or how great they are. (Devotional Hours with the Bible) Spurgeon on Blot out my transgressions. My revolts, my excesses, are all recorded against me; but, Lord, erase the lines. Draw thy pen through the register. Obliterate the record, though now it seems engraven in the rock for ever; many strokes of thy mercy may be needed, to cut out the deep inscription, but then thou has a multitude of mercies, and therefore, I beseech thee, erase my sins. Net Bible note comments on "blot out my transgressions"…Because of the reference to washing and cleansing in the following verse, it is likely that the psalmist is comparing forgiveness to wiping an object clean (note the use of the verb מָחָה (makhah) in the sense of “wipe clean; dry” in 2Ki 21:13; Pr 30:20; Isa 25:8). Another option is that the psalmist is comparing forgiveness to erasing or blotting out names from a register (see Ex32:32, 33). In this case one might translate, “erase all record of my rebellious acts.”
Salmos 51:1-9
Stedman has a unique way of describing God's lovingkindness… On the basis of that unqualified acceptance, that marvelous continuing love-that-will-not-let-me-go, he says to God, “I am coming to you and asking now for this.” Spurgeon… What a choice word is that of our English version, a rare compound of precious things: love and kindness sweetly blended in one -- "lovingkindness." (Psalm 51:1 - Treasury of David) Lovingkindness (02617)(hesed/chesed/heced - see word study) is the idea of faithful love in action and often in the OT refers to God's lovingkindness expressed in His covenant relationship with Israel (His "loyal love" to His "Wife" Israel [cp Hos 2:18, 19, 20-see note, Is 54:5, Jer 31:32] = His "loyalty to covenant"). God's hesed denotes His persistent and unconditional tenderness, kindness, and mercy, a relationship in which He seeks after man with love and mercy (cp God immediately seeking man Ge 3:9, who was immediately hiding Ge 3:8 trying to cover their shame Ge 3:7 - contrast God's lovingkindness manifest by spilling blood to provide skins to cover their shame! Ge 3:21). Hesed expresses both God’s loyalty to His covenant and His love for His people along with a faithfulness to keep His promises. The Septuagint (LXX) usually translates hesed with the Greek word eleos [word study] (or the related verb eleeo) while the Latin Vulgate uses the word misericordia (mercy + heart). Here in Psalm 51:1 hesed is translated with eleeo and compassion is translated with oiktirmos. Vine writes that… In general, one may identify three basic meanings of hesed, and these 3 meanings always interact -- strength, steadfastness, and love. Any understanding of hesed that fails to suggest all three inevitably loses some of its richness. Love by itself easily becomes sentimentalized or universalized apart from the covenant. Yet strength or steadfastness suggests only the fulfillment of a legal (or similar) obligation. Hesed refers primarily to mutual and reciprocal rights and obligations between the parties of a relationship (especially Jehovah and Israel). But hesed is not only a matter of obligation but is also of generosity. It is not only a matter of loyalty, but also of mercy. Hesed implies personal involvement and commitment in a relationship beyond the rule of law. (Vine, W E: Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. 1996. Nelson or Wordsearch) (Bolding added) Greatness of Your compassion - Great sin calls for great compassion from our Great God. All sin is "great" when shown (shone) for what it is in light of God's pure holiness and perfect justice! There are no "little" sins, for one "little sin" not covered by the blood of the Lamb would take a soul to hell for eternity! I fear I don't fully comprehend the significance of sin in God's eyes. Greatness (07230) (rob) signifies an abundance, a large number and is used to indicate that which is in abundance, in this case God's compassion (Let us praise God for His abundant compassion!) Compassion (07356) (racham or plural rachamim) (Septuagint = oiktirmos - word study) is a feminine noun which means womb (singular form in Hebrew always = "womb") which means to love deeply (usually of superior for inferior) and rooted in some "natural" bond. For example racham pictures Joseph's deep yearning feeling toward his youngest brother Benjamin (Ge 43:30). Most of the uses of racham refer to God's tender mercy which is rooted in His free love and amazing grace. Compassion is God having a deep ("visceral") feeling for our infirmities. Have you experienced His precious racham during a time of deep affliction, adversity, brokenness or contrition? His racham is always at the disposal of the broken and contrite heart! Webster says that compassion is the sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire (and in God's case the power) to alleviate it. Racham is a word conveying a greater sense of emotion and we see a beautiful example of this emotional component in Joseph's "reunion" with his youngest brother Benjamin (Ge 43:29)… Joseph hurried out for he was deeply (racham) stirred (KJV = "his bowels did yearn") over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and wept there. (Ge 43:30). Comment: Here we see racham reflecting Joseph's innermost being expressive of his yearning for his brother. The Septuagint emphasizes this deep guttural sense of racham in translating racham with enteron which is Greek for intestine or bowel. We've all had those same deep feelings with Vine adds that racham means “bowels; mercies; compassion.” This noun, always used in the plural intensive, occurs in Gen. 43:14: “And God Almighty give you mercy [“compassion”].” In Ge 43:30, it is used of Joseph’s feelings toward Benjamin: “His bowels did yearn upon his brother.” (niv, “He was deeply moved at the sight of his brother.”) Rachamim is most often used of God, as by David in 2Sa 24:14: “Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for His mercies are great…” We have the equivalent Aramaic word in Daniel’s request to his friends: “That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret …” (Da 2:18). I like the KJV rendering of racham as "tender mercies" because it accurately reflects the fact that the Hebrew word racham is in the plural. J R Miller… Notice also David's thought of the mercy he needed. First, there is a simple cry for mercy. "Have mercy upon me, O God." This was his greatest need. He did not begin his prayer by asking for favors, for prosperous circumstances, for many friends. Before any blessings could count in his life—he must get clear of his sin, and must have God's mercy. The words represent his transgressions as all written down against him in the book of accounts—and he pleads to have them blotted out, erased, rubbed from the page. There is something very startling in this thought that our sins are charged against us, and that unless we get the record expunged, we shall have to meet the penalty. But the blessed truth here, is that sins may be blotted out—no matter how many or how great they are. (Devotional Hours with the Bible) BLOT OUT ERASE, WIPE OUT Spurgeon… Blot out my transgressions. My revolts, my excesses, are all recorded against me; but, Lord, erase the lines. Draw thy pen through the register. Obliterate the record, though now it seems engraven in the rock for ever; many strokes of thy mercy may be needed, to cut out the deep inscription, but then thou has a multitude of mercies, and therefore, I beseech thee, erase my sins. (Psalm 51:1 - Treasury of David) Blot out (imperative mood) (04229) (mahah) means to stroke or rub, erase, abolish, blot out, destroy, wipe out. The Septuagint (Lxx) translates the Hebrew verb mahah with exaleipho (word study) meaning to remove so as to leave not a trace! Because of the efficacious, once for all, propitiatory, atoning work of Christ on the Cross, believers can boldly approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need (Heb 4:16-note). I say "boldly" because both the Hebrew and Greek verbs are in the imperative mood (commands)! The first OT use gives us a good sense of the meaning of mahah when Jehovah says I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land. (Ge 6:7) God says He will "utterly blot out" the memory of Amalek (Dt 25:19). Note that erasures on ancient leather scrolls were made by washing or sponging off the ink rather than blotting. "Wipe out" is therefore more accurate for the idea of expunging. When God did move in judgment, he wiped Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down (2Ki 21:13). During the time of the Judges, the entire tribe of Benjamin was almost blotted out (Jdg 21:17-note). Mahah figures prominently in the prayer in which Moses begged God to forgive the sin Israel incurred when they worshipped the golden calf. "If not, blot me out of your book," prays Moses (Ex 32:32, 33). In Numbers we read… The priest shall then write these curses on a scroll (having to do with the Law of Jealously - Nu 5:11-31), and he shall wash them off into the water of bitterness. (Nu 5:23) Mahah - Used in 32 verses in the OT and almost every use is theologically significant and makes for an interesting study. Ge 6:7 7:4,23 Ex 17:14 32:32,33 Nu5:23 34:11 Dt 9:14 25:6,19 29:20 Jdg 21:17 2Ki 14:27 21:13 Neh 4:5 13:14 Ps 9:5 51:1, 9 69:28 109:13,14 Pr 6:33 30:20 31:3 Isa 25:6, 8 43:25 44:22 Jer 18:23 Ezekiel 6:6 The KJV translates mahah - (blot, put, etc)… out 17, destroy 6, wipe 4, blot 3, wipe away 2, abolished 1, marrow 1, reach 1, utterly 10 Here is a representative use of mahah… He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 25:8) The Septuagint (Lxx) translates mahah in Ps 51:1 with the Greek verb exaleipho which means to cause to disappear by wiping and thus to erase or to remove in such a way as to leave no trace. Peter uses exaleipho in his "altar call" to his Jewish audience declaring… Therefore repent (aorist imperative - command to do it now. It is urgent!) and return (aorist imperative - command to do it now. It is urgent!), (Why?) so that your sins may be wiped away (exaleipho), (What is the result of sins wiped away?) in order that times of refreshing (anapsuxis - from ana = again + psucho = to blow, refresh with cool air!) may come from the presence (prosopon = more literally the face) of the Lord (From where does deep, soul refreshing come? cp Mt 11:28, 29, 30) and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you (Acts 3:19, 20). This same verb exaleipho is used by Paul to describe the "blotting effect" of the blood of Christ (which was ultimately the foundation of David's appeal for blotting out his transgressions). Paul explains that one of the effects of the Cross was that it… canceled out (exaleipho = "blotting out" Col 2:14KJV) the certificate of debt (our "IOU" for our sins) consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He (Christ) has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Col 2:14-note) Comment: To understand the word exaleipho is to understand the amazing mercy and lovingkindness of God. The substance on which ancient documents were written was either papyrus, a kind of paper made of the pith of the bulrush, or vellum, a substance made of the skins of animals. Both were fairly expensive and certainly could not be wasted. Ancient ink had no acid in it and so it set on the surface of the paper and did not, as modern ink usually does, bite into the underlying layers. Sometimes a scribe, to save paper, used papyrus or vellum that had already been written upon. When he did that, he took a sponge and wiped the writing out. Because it was only on the surface of the paper, the ink could be wiped out as if it had never been present! God, in his amazing mercy, banished the record of our sins so completely that it was as if it had never been. Not a trace of them remained. Yes, our sins, even confessed ones, like David's, still reap consequences, but Christ's blood makes us forever free of the wrath of God. Hallelujah! The Net Bible note comments on "blot out my transgressions"… Because of the reference to washing and cleansing in the following verse, it is likely that the psalmist is comparing forgiveness to wiping an object clean (note the use of the verb מָחָה (makhah) in the sense of “wipe clean; dry” in 2Ki 21:13; Pr 30:20; Isa 25:8). Another option is that the psalmist is comparing forgiveness to erasing or blotting out names from a register (see Ex32:32, 33). In this case one might translate, “erase all record of my rebellious acts.” REBELLION AGAINST GOD My transgressions - Observe that David repeatedly "owns" his sin against God declaring "my transgressions… my iniquity… my sin… my transgressions… my sin". There are no excuses. No attempts to justify himself. No attempts to blame someone else or some ensnaring circumstance. David openly, honestly, repeatedly acknowledges his evil. Notice that his confession is not to another individual but to God. Notice also that he does not name the specific sins he committed although the sins of adultery and murder are clearly in view (bloodguiltiness in Ps 51:14 may allude to Uriah's murder). In using the three most common words for sin, David clearly seeks to leave no stone unturned. Puritan writer Thomas Brooks True penitential confession is FULL as well as free. That confession is not sincere that is not full, Lam. 1:18-19. God loves neither halting nor mincing confessions. These undid the Pharisee, Luke 18:11. As penitential confessions are not extorted, so they are not straitened. Sin must be confessed in its particular species and parts; all known sins must be confessed fully, plainly, particularly, as you may see by turning to these scriptures, Lev. 26:40-42, and 19:21; Judges 10:10; Psalm 51; 1 Sam. 12:19; 1 Tim. 1:13; Acts 26:10, 11; Da 9:5-17; Lev. 16:21-22, etc. Some there are who deny their sins, with the harlot: Proverbs 30:20, "Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness." And others there are who blame their sins on others, as Adam did, Gen. 3:12; and as Eve did, verse 13; and as Aaron did, Exod. 32:22; and as Saul did, 1 Sam. 15:22. And many there are who hide their wickedness, that conceal their wickedness, as that proud pharisee did, Luke 18:11-12. That expression of the prophet Hosea, chapter 10:13, "You have ploughed wickedness," is rendered by the Septuagint, "You have concealed wickedness;" and, indeed, there is nothing more common to a wicked heart, than to keep close his sin, than to cover and hide his transgressions. And, certainly, this is that sore disease that our first parents were sick to death of, almost six thousand years ago; and, therefore, it is no wonder if we are all infected with it. Man by nature is a vain-glorious creature, apt to boast and brag of the sins that he is free of—but unwilling to confess the sins that he is guilty of. There are no men so prone to conceal their own wickedness, as those who are most forward to proclaim their own goodness. There are many who are not ashamed to commit sin, who yet are ashamed to confess sin; but certainly of all shame, that is the most shameful shame, which leads a man to hide his sins. But now the true penitent, he makes conscience of confessing small sins as well as great sins, secret sins as well as open sins, Psalm 90:8, 19:12. David confesses not only his great sins of murder and adultery—but he confesses also his self-revenge intended against Nabal, and of his knife being so near Saul's throat, when he cut off the tip of Saul's garment. [Job 31:33. We are but flesh and blood, says one; it is my nature, says a second; I cannot help it, says a third; I am not the first, says a fourth; it was bad company drew me, says a fifth; if it be a sin, I am sorry for it, says a sixth; if it is bad, I cry God's mercy, says a seventh. And thus wicked men are as hypocritical in their confessions as they are in their professions, etc.] A true penitent is much in confessing and lamenting over that secret pride, that secret fleshliness, that secret worldliness, that secret hypocrisy, that secret vain glory, etc., which is only obvious to God and his own soul. But it is quite otherwise with wicked men; for they confess their grosser sins—but never observe their lesser sins; they confess their open sins—but never lay open their secret sins. Cain confesses the murdering of his brother—but never confesses his secret enmity, which put him upon washing his hands in his brother's blood. Pharaoh confesses his oppression of the children of Israel—but he does not confess the pride of his heart, nor the hardness of his heart. Judas confesses his betraying of innocent blood—but he never confesses his covetousness, which put him upon betraying of the Lord of glory. And others have confessed their apostasy, who have never confessed their hypocrisy that has led them to apostasy, etc. Well, this is certain, that those little sins, those secret sins, that never break a sinner's sleep—do often break a believer's heart. (Evangelical Repentance) J R Miller… Notice also David's thoughts of his sin. First, he thought about his sin as his own. "My transgressions," "my iniquity," "my sin," "I have sinned," are the words he uses. He does not try to lay the blame of his wrongdoing, on some other one, as our first parents did (Ge 3:8, 9, 10, 11, 12). He does not plead the peculiar strength of his temptation and try to excuse himself for sinning so grievously. He does not talk of his peculiar environment or circumstances. He does not try in any way to explain his fall, or to mitigate in any measure the degree of his guilt. He frankly takes the whole responsibility on himself. This shows the sincerity of his repentance. An old writer said, that Nothing else in the world is so much our own—as our sins. We cannot push the responsibility off on any tempter or on any circumstances. Others may tempt us—but no one can compel us to sin. There is no sin in being tempted—sin begins when we yield to the temptation. Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are—but He was without sin (Heb 4:15). We are commanded to resist the Devil, and we are told that he will flee from us. Others may tempt us—and the guilt of the tempter is great. But no one can compel us to sin. Until we lift the latch— sin cannot enter our heart's door. We are responsible, therefore, for our sins, and must bear the burden of them ourselves. We must also personally seek and find forgiveness for our own sins. No intercessor can obtain pardon for us; we must be penitent ourselves. Christ's expiation is for sinners—but even Christ's intercession will not bring forgiveness, if we do not personally repent and seek mercy. No one can obtain forgiveness for us—for any unconfessed sin of ours. (Devotional Hours with the Bible) Charles Colson once said that "If there is anything worse than our sins, it is our infinite capacity to rationalize it away," but this was not David's problem. He recognized that the evil of sin enters like a needle but spreads its toxic roots in one's soul like an oak tree! My transgressions - Notice the plural. Perowne wisely comments that… No sin ever stands alone: each single transgression is the mother of many transgressions: each is a root of bitterness whence spring many bitter branches, so that we cannot one sin without confessing many. (Beloved, how true this is in my personal experience. It is not your experience also?) (The Book of Psalms) Transgressions (06588) (pesha') is derived from a root describing the breach of relationship between two parties (civil or religious). The idea of this noun is that the individual makes a willful choice to reject God's authority and hence to deviate from the path of godly living. Defection from God's standard. Pesha' describes a rising up in clear defiance to authority. A revolt against God's standards. In short, pesha' focuses on the rebellious nature of the sin (E.g., Ge 50:17) and means to go beyond the limits set by (a moral principle, standard, law, etc.). Rebellion is inherent in this word for sin. The English word rebellion is ugly and describes open, usually unsuccessful defiance or resistance to an established government, in this case God. An open and avowed renunciation of the authority of God to Whom one owes his allegiance. Do we really understand that this is what we do when we willfully choose to sin against a law or commandment that we clearly know? It is utter spiritual insanity! Like one person said when we act this way we are in essence "practical atheists!" Boice… It refers to crossing a forbidden boundary with the thought that this is a serious rebellion. The 1828 Webster's dictionary says that transgression is The act of passing over or beyond any law or rule of moral duty; the violation of a law or known principle of rectitude; breach of command. Notice that all three primary Hebrew words for “sin” (pesha', 'avon, chatta) are used by David to describe his personal sin in Ps 51:1-3, a section which represents the greatest statement on the nature of sin in the Old Testament. David's greatest sins did not keep God from using him to teach one of the greatest teachings on sin! Perhaps you think you have sinned so greatly that God could never use you! You are wrong and David is living proof of this truth! Notices that each Hebrew word implies the existence of God's standard of righteousness (all that God is, all that God commands, all that God demands, all that God approves, all that God provides in Christ Jesus - cp 1Co1:30). Perowne comments on David's use of all 3 Hebrew words for sin (in his comments on Ps 32:1, 2) … Sin is here (as in Ex 34:7) spoken of under three appellations, so as to include the whole idea of sin in all its manifestations: First, as "transgression" (pesha') or departure from God and open defection from His covenant. Secondly (Ed: Occurs third in Ps 51:2), as "a coming short of the mark," (chatta') a deflection from an aim, a not doing of our duty. Thirdly, as including the idea of wrong doing ('avon), the guilt, and also the punishment. (The book of Psalms) Pesha' - 90x in the OT - Gen 31:36; 50:17; Ex 22:9; 23:21; 34:7; Lev 16:16, 21; Num 14:18; Josh 24:19; 1Sa 24:11; 25:28; 1Kgs 8:50; Job 7:21; 8:4; 13:23; 14:17; 31:33; 33:9; 34:6, 37; 35:6; 36:9; Ps 5:10; 19:13; 25:7; 32:1, 5; 36:1; 39:8; 51:1, 3; 59:3; 65:3; 89:32; 103:12; 107:17; Pr 10:12, 19; 12:13; 17:9, 19; 19:11; 28:2, 13, 24; 29:6, 16, 22; Isa 24:20; 43:25; 44:22; 50:1; 53:5, 8; 57:4; 58:1; 59:12, 20; Jer 5:6; Lam 1:5, 14, 22; Ezek 14:11; 18:22, 28, 30f; 21:24; 33:10, 12; 37:23; 39:24; Dan 8:12f; 9:24; Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6; 3:14; 5:12; Mic 1:5, 13; 3:8; 6:7; 7:18. Translated in NAS as - breach of trust(1), rebellion(6), rebellious(1), rebellious act(2), rebellious acts(2), transgression(37), transgressions(45). Adam Clarke on David's 3 choice descriptions of his sins… It is transgressions, pesha, rebellion. It is iniquity, avon, crooked dealing. It is sin, chattath, error and wandering I like Charles Simeon's introduction to his sermon "True Penitence Described" on Psalm 51:1-3… SIN is, for the most part, thought a light and venial (meriting no particular censure or notice) evil, especially among the higher ranks of society: as though the restraints of religion were designed only for the poor; and the rich had a dispensation granted them to live according to their own will. But sin, by whomsoever committed, will, sooner or later, be as the gall of asps (small venomous snake of Egypt) within us; nor can all the charms of royalty silence the convictions of a guilty conscience. View the Psalmist. He had been elevated, from the low condition of a shepherd’s boy, to a throne: yet, when he had offended God in the matter of Uriah, there was not found in his whole dominions a more miserable wretch than he. Before his repentance became deep and genuine, “his bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long: for day and night God’s hand was heavy upon him; and his moisture was turned into the drought of summer.” (Ps 32:3, 4) Even in his penitence (sorrow for sins) we may see how heavy a load was laid upon his mind. This psalm was written on that occasion: and the words before us, while they declare the workings of his mind, will serve to show us, in a general view, the true penitent. (Psalm 51:1-3 True Penitence Described) ><>><>><> C H