Psalm 51 (50):4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What is it that I seek? I desire a deeper understanding, one that is pure and resplendent. ‘Wash me thoroughly from my sin.’ But what must you do to achieve this? Listen carefully to my words and take them to heart. The compassion of God is indescribable and beyond comprehension; it transcends human thought and overwhelms our understanding. However, even with such boundless mercy, it is necessary for us to actively participate so that we do not become unworthy. Grasp what I am conveying: God is merciful, but His mercy comes with a requirement: you too must give. Why is this? Imagine it as if He were saying: the burden of your sins is vast; your wrongdoings are numerous, and I wish to alleviate them.

What does it mean to 'wash more and more'? It refers to someone who is deeply stained. Continuously cleanse the sins of one who is aware of their faults. You who have removed the iniquities of the unknowing. Therefore, do not lose hope in Your compassion. Cleanse me from my wrongdoing. As He serves as a healer, provide a reward. He is Divine; offer a sacrifice. What are you willing to give in order to attain purity? Consider to whom you appeal—indeed you call upon the Righteous One. He detests sin, for He is just; He punishes sin, for He is just. You cannot remove justice from the Lord God; seek mercy, yet uphold justice: there exists mercy to pardon the transgressor and justice to penalize wrongdoing. So, what’s the conclusion? You plead for mercy; will sin escape consequence?

Show compassion toward me, O God, in accordance with Your abundant mercy. Due to the weight of my sins, I implore You for immense grace. Through the abundance of Your blessings, purify me from my wrongdoing. Only the blessings of God can cleanse hands tainted by bloodshed. To further emphasize his plea, he states, "Above all, cleanse me." Here, he seeks a complete restoration, highlighting the seriousness of his transgression in its entirety. Furthermore, since Nathan had already assured him of forgiveness and various hardships had diminished his situation, he now expresses his need for cleansing and purification, that the deeply entrenched pollution may be fully removed.

St. David composed the enigmatic fiftieth Psalm in relation to these occurrences, referencing his union with Bathsheba: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. If a faithful servant of God acknowledges his wrongdoing, recognizing that such transgressions undermine his deeds, then why do you hesitate to express your own shortcomings before God? It is far more disgraceful to commit wrongdoing and remain silent about it.

You have already bestowed upon me the forgiveness of my transgressions through the prophet Nathan, David declares, and have allowed me to endure various afflictions as if by a form of cauterization. However, having absorbed the profound odor of sin, I find myself still in need of purifying remedies. Thus, cleanse me once more, O Lord, to remove all the defilement of sin.

Remove my iniquity from me. The Lord, through the prophet Nathan, assured him that his sins were forgiven due to his heartfelt repentance (2 Sam. 12:13). However, he continued to beseech God for complete purification from the defilement of sin that had tarnished him, intensifying his pleas for mercy. He implored, cleanse me from my sin. In this context, the term sin refers to the wrongdoing he previously identified as iniquity, since sin represents a violation or transgression of the divine law. Throughout the psalmist’s writings, the terms iniquity, transgression of the law, and sin are often used interchangeably, reflecting no significant differentiation among them.

Frequent is the plea, “Wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” Many perceive offenses as trivial, labeling them as fleeting distractions, understandable flaws, or other gentle terms. However, this perspective does not align with how Scripture addresses sin. The Scriptures declare that sin is filth; wretched and foolish is the individual who fails to seek liberation from such impurities, standing as an object of disdain before a holy and just God. "In thy uncleanness is a dill: for thou art defiled, and art not cleansed from thy uncleanness: and what shall be, if thou be not cleansed according to these things, till my fury be executed in thee?" (Ezekiel 24:13). "Wash me from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin" (Psalm 50:4). How shall this be achieved?

David expresses in these words that the impurity of his transgressions cannot be purified with a mere external cleansing. The pollution runs so deep into the spirit that it necessitates numerous purifications, not due to God's inability to redeem individuals, but rather because the more a sinner recognizes their defilement, the more swiftly they are led to repentance, allowing for a more effective escape from the anguish of a guilty conscience. The concept of washing appears often in the Holy Scriptures. Just as our wrongdoings render us unappealing, detestable, and wretched in the eyes of God, akin to a certain grime, it is appropriate for us to seek purification through washing. This teaching should inspire both a celebration of God’s grace and a deep disdain for sin. Those who remain unmoved by such sentiments should be considered unresponsive.

My wrongdoing, my transgression. According to St. Athanasius, it is essential to recognize that sin represents a departure from goodness, while iniquity signifies a violation of Divine law. Here, David refers to iniquity when mentioning the act of Uriah’s murder, and to sin when discussing his illicit relationship with Bathsheba. The term used indicates repetition, implying that although You have pardoned my transgressions, the harmful consequences persist within me, afflicting my spirit. Therefore, extend Your mercy abundantly and purify me entirely from the stain of sin.

Ultimately, for believers throughout generations, this psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit and given to David, can be interpreted as a call for repentance for all who sin, since through repentance, individuals can be spared from the severity of God's judgment. Furthermore, this psalm prophetically speaks of the Incarnation of Christ, the Redeemer of sinners, to whom the prophet, in alignment with God's promise, fervently implores, ‘Give me the joy of Thy salvation.’ God's original design did not intend for humanity to be born through the means of marriage and sin; rather, it was the disobedience of Adam and Eve that brought about such a condition, resulting in all descendants of Adam being born into sin.