Psalms 51

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/ps51/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p><strong>Review</strong></p><ul><li>Our first six studies set the stage, so that we can draw near to God</li><li>Psalm 51 is the psalm that most epitomizes the theme of this series, Drawing Near to God.<br /> </li></ul><p><strong>Theme: restoration to God</strong></p><ul><li>Every psalm has a theme. In most of the lessons in this series, we're reading only excerpts, in order to illustrate broader themes.</li><li>This time we will study a single psalm, and one of the most famous of all, ranking with 23 in general familiarity.</li></ul><p><strong>Davidic?</strong></p><ul><li>Associated with David, and fits perfectly the scenario of 2 Samuel 11-12.</li><li>“Build up the walls” (v.18) – the psalm did not evolve to its present form till centuries after the time of David.</li><li>Whether or not David is the author is immaterial. The psalm speaks to us all!</li></ul><p><strong>Commentary</strong></p><ul><li>v.1 - Mercy, not justice. Blessed are the merciful. Am I merciful towards others (Matthew 5:7, 18:21-35; Eph 4:32)?</li><li>v.2 - We are unclean – cannot be <i>self</i>-restored. We need God.</li><li>v.3 - Sin doesn’t get cleansed by time. Time may afford a broader perspective, but it doesn’t automatically heal.</li><li>v.4 - See Genesis 39:9. Judgment: Psalm 7:11 (daily judgment, the outworking of sin); 21:9 (final judgment, like 2 Thessalonians 1:8).</li><li>v.5 - <i>Not</i> original sin (see 71:6, 22:9, 58:3). Projection of the present feeling of sinfulness back to the earliest possible point in the psalmist’s life.</li><li>v.6 - We are born to be moral. We may have a proclivity towards selfishness – for biological and psychological reasons, yet God calls us to act beyond the level of mere self-interest .</li><li>v.7 - Hyssop was used for cleansing in levitical ceremonies (Exod 12, Lev 14, Num 19 – a dozen places in all the Bible.) Hyssop contains thymol. Confess