Psalm 51 (50):15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What will you, O prophet, present to the Almighty? "I will instruct the unrighteous in Your paths, and they shall turn back to You." He speaks of prophecy without elaborating on the kingdom.

If I possess the Spirit, I will declare to the whole creation, "All peoples, make a joyful noise to God; raise your voices in exuberance. For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared; He is the great King over all the earth" (Psalm 46:2, 3). If I am filled with the Spirit, I will proclaim, "prevail against Your adversaries" (Psalm 109:2).

As someone who was once unrighteous (that is, one who has been transformed and is no longer unrighteous; the Holy Spirit remains with me, and I am grounded by the Chief Spirit), I will instruct those who stray from Your paths. What lessons will You impart to those who are unrighteous? The wicked will seek You out. If David's transgression is attributed to his ungodliness, let not the ungodly lose hope, for God has shown mercy to the sinner; yet they must ensure they turn to Him and learn His ways. However, if David's actions are not ascribed to wickedness, which is defined as turning away from God, failing to worship Him alone, or abandoning the One they once adored, then what has he achieved? He possesses the abundance of power, and the wicked shall return to You.

I will instruct the unrighteous in your paths. Once you free me from sin and bestow your Holy Spirit upon me, I will once more guide the unrighteous in walking according to your ways.

I will serve as an example of contrition for those who embrace a life of sin; I will also declare your goodness, seeking to encourage the unrighteous and sinful to come to you in humility and prayer.

As the proclamation of the Gospel started to reach the lawless Gentiles with the arrival of the Savior on earth, the Psalms of David emerged as a source of great inspiration for them. They became a guide for nurturing the elevated Christian virtues.

What is the significance of the phrase, ‘I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You’? By following the example set by the prophet David, we express our gratitude for the forgiveness of our transgressions, committing ourselves to encourage the unrighteous to embrace the divine will, that they too may return to the Lord.

Through these words, he expresses his intention to give thanks to God, affirming that the outcome of his justification will glorify Him and benefit many. It is akin to saying: Lord, if You hear my plea and welcome me back into Your grace after such serious transgressions, I will strive in both word and action to instruct others in Your ways, specifically in Your mercy and truth, for all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth (Psalm 24:10). David’s actions stand as a remarkable testament to God's mercy and justice for all generations. His mercy is evident because even after such serious failings, when he declared, ‘We have sinned against the Lord’ (2 Sam. 12:13), he received immediate pardon.

I will instruct those who stray from Your path; when I am granted forgiveness, purified, revitalized, and endowed with a renewed mind, I will guide them. I will exemplify true repentance and proclaim Your grace. Blessed Theodoret states, "Once more, I shall instruct those who transgress, so that they may follow Your ways." Athanasius.

Ultimately, until the conclusion of the age, this psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit through David, serves as a reflection of repentance for all who have sinned, as through repentance one may find refuge from the severity of God’s judgment. Furthermore, this psalm also presents the prophecy concerning the Incarnation of Christ, the Redeemer of sinners, whom the prophet, longing for Him as promised by God, implores, ‘Give me the joy of Thy salvation.’ God's original design did not include our birth through marriage and mortal decay. However, the disobedience of Adam and Eve led to the establishment of marriage, thus all descendants of Adam are conceived in sin. The prophet does not denounce the institution of marriage itself, but rather reveals the wrongdoing of our ancestors.